Spain beat France 2-0 to reach first World Cup final since 2010

Spain shut France out 2-0 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and reached their first World Cup final since 2010. The victory sent the reigning European champions through to the title match and ended France’s pursuit of a third straight World Cup final.

Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring in the 22nd minute from the penalty spot after Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal. Pedro Porro added the second in the 58th minute, giving Spain a cushion France never seriously threatened to erode.

The margin matched the balance of play. Spain suffocated France’s attack, limited Kylian Mbappé’s impact and held Les Bleus to two shots on target. Spain and France had combined to allow only three goals in World Cup play before the semi-final, and Spain’s shutout was their sixth of the tournament, a new World Cup record for one team in a single edition.

De la Fuente had framed the game as a "final before the final" and insisted his side could beat anyone, including France. Didier Deschamps, by contrast, had already described Spain as the favourites, and Spain kept their defensive shape, moved the ball cleanly and denied France the open field they needed.

De la Fuente took charge of the senior team in December 2022 after rising through Spain’s youth setup, and his record already includes Euro 2024 and the 2023 Nations League. They will face either England or Argentina in the final on Sunday, July 19, 2026.