The American dream came to a brutal halt for the French national team as Spain secured a convincing 2-0 victory in the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas. According to match reports from RMC Sport, La Roja showcased a masterclass in tactical and technical superiority, leaving Les Bleus struggling to find answers throughout the entire 90 minutes. Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro sealed the victory, sending the Spanish squad into the highly anticipated final.
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Subscribe Sekarang →The breakthrough for Spain came in the first half when Mikel Oyarzabal clinicaly converted a penalty past Mike Maignan after a VAR review confirmed a foul in the box. France's evening went from bad to worse when defender William Saliba had to be substituted after aggravating a back injury, forcing Maxence Lacroix into early action. In the second half, Pedro Porro sealed the triumph for La Roja by penetrating the French defense and firing home a powerful strike to make it 2-0.
Based on post-match reactions, the Spanish press has been filled with superlatives praising the collective performance of Lamine Yamal and his teammates. Spain's coach, Luis de la Fuente, expressed immense pride in his squad during the press conference, stating, "Today, we faced one of the best selections in the world. But they faced the best team in the world. That is different." Midfielder Rodri echoed this sentiment, calling their performance sensational, particularly when out of possession.
On the other side, French captain Kylian Mbappé did not hide his profound disappointment regarding the team's display. Speaking to M6, Mbappé remarked, "We did not play the game we wanted to play, whether tactically, technically, or in the overall level we provided. When you do not do what you are supposed to do in a World Cup semi-final, you do not win." Team manager Didier Deschamps also admitted that his side performed below standard technically, while raising questions about the referee's level for such a crucial match.
Observation from editorial monitoring indicates that the defeat has sparked intense debates in France regarding the team's tactical identity under Deschamps, with pundits like Daniel Riolo suggesting that the midfield was vastly outclassed by Spain. Despite the heartbreak, French President Emmanuel Macron offered words of encouragement on social media, thanking Les Bleus for representing the country with commitment and noting that the young squad is full of future promise. Spain will now face either Argentina or England in Sunday's final in New York, while France is set to contest the third-place play-off.