Spain Shuts Out France to Advance to 2026 FIFA World Cup Final
La Roja delivers a masterclass performance in Texas to eliminate Les Bleus.
Summary
Spain defeated France 2-0 in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals at Dallas Stadium
Mikel Oyarzabal converted a crucial first-half penalty to establish an early lead
Pedro Porro sealed the victory with a definitive second-half goal to book a spot in the final
The Spain national football team has officially advanced to the final after defeating France in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Semi-Final. Staged at the state-of-the-art Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the high-stakes European clash saw La Roja deliver a clinical defensive shutout to eliminate Les Bleus from the tournament.
Spain established absolute control early in the 22nd minute when forward Mikel Oyarzabal coolly converted a penalty kick past French goalkeeper Mike Maignan following an early caution issued to Adrien Rabiot. France attempted to quickly recalibrate their tactical 4-2-3-1 formation under immense defensive pressure, but Spain’s rigid backline cleanly minimized opportunities for star playmaker Kylian Mbappé throughout the first half.
In the 58th minute, defender Pedro Porro found open space to unleash a definitive regular goal, doubling Spain’s lead and completely shifting the momentum. Despite subsequent late substitutions from France bringing on fresh attacking power like Désiré Doué and Rayan Cherki, goalkeeper Unai Simón maintained a flawless clean sheet to secure the historic 2-0 shutout victory for manager Luis de la Fuente’s squad.
