Yesterday, Spain became the first nation to secure its spot in the final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with their future opponent being decided today. Spain took down a powerhouse France team to lock in their spot and become just a win away from capturing their second-ever FIFA World Cup trophy.
Entering the match, Spain and France were viewed at a relatively similar level, with either team being capable of winning. However, France’s reputation this tournament gained them much support, as the team had won all six of their matches in the tournament, entering their game against Spain. On the other hand, Spain was also one of the tournament’s most dominant teams, having won all of their matches except a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde in their opening group stage match.
As expected, the star power in the semifinals matchup was immense, with some of the best players in the world, including Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and Ousmané Dembélé, all fighting for a spot in the FIFA World Cup final. For France, a win would send them to their third consecutive FIFA World Cup final, becoming just the third nation to do so. While, for Spain, a win would bring them to the FIFA World Cup final for the second time in the nation’s history, with the first coming in 2010 when the nation won the tournament.
The match got off to a hot start for Spain, who scored in the 22nd minute on a penalty kick from Mikel Oyarzabal. The goal put France in unfamiliar territory, as it was the first time in the entire tournament that the team were losing in a match. It proved to have an impact, as France’s relentless attack was shut down in the first half, as Spain entered halftime with a 1-0 lead.
Spain continued to put their foot on the gas, as a 58th minute goal from Pedro Porro put Spain in a commanding position to win the match. Comebacks are not new for France, as the team overcame a 2-0 deficit at the 2022 FIFA World Cup final against Argentina in minutes, though it appeared that France wouldn’t be able to replicate that magic this time. As the clock continued to tick, France’s offensive attack, which had been so dangerous for the entire tournament, was unable to record a goal, ultimately leading to a 2-0 win for Spain.
This marks just the second time that Spain has ever reached the FIFA World Cup final, with the first appearance coming in 2010. At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Spain claimed their nation’s first title after defeating Netherlands in extra time. Now, Spain will be heading to the Meadowlands with an opportunity to claim the nation’s second title.