Spain Beat France 2-0 to Reach World Cup 2026 Final
Oyarzabal converted a penalty on his 19-year-old teammate’s birthday. Porro scored the second from a one-two with Olmo. France managed 0.30 xG from 10 shots. Spain are now in their second World Cup final.
Spain beat France 2-0 in the World Cup 2026 semi-final at Dallas Stadium on July 14 to reach Sunday’s final at New York New Jersey Stadium. Mikel Oyarzabal scored a penalty in the 22nd minute.
Pedro Porro added the second in the 58th. France, who entered the match as slight favourites, finished with 0.30 expected goals from 10 shots. Kylian Mbappe did not score.
Spain are now unbeaten in 37 consecutive matches, level with Italy’s all-time international record set between 2018 and 2021. They conceded one goal across the entire tournament. They are in their second ever World Cup final. The first one, in 2010, they won.
0.30
France xG from 10 shots
37
Spain unbeaten run
1
Goals conceded by Spain
Spain vs France World Cup Semi-Final 2026 Scorecard
| Min | Event | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22′ | Penalty | Mikel Oyarzabal | Spain |
| 58′ | Goal | Pedro Porro | Spain |
| FT: Spain 2-0 France • Dallas Stadium • July 14, 2026 | |||
Spain vs France — head to head record (last 3 major tournaments)
| Competition | Result | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Euro 2024 Semi-final | Spain 2-1 France | Spain |
| Nations League Semi-final 2025 | Spain Win | Spain |
| World Cup 2026 Semi-final | Spain 2-0 France | Spain |
Lamine Yamal won the penalty on his 19th birthday
Lucas Digne went to clear the ball in the 21st minute and kicked Lamine Yamal through the shin. Yamal turned 19 years old on the day of the match. The referee pointed to the spot.
Oyarzabal struck the penalty low and hard to Maignan’s right. The goalkeeper went the right way. The ball was past him before he reached it. It was Oyarzabal’s fifth goal of the tournament.
The goal was also Oyarzabal’s 30th international goal for Spain. He became only the sixth player in Spanish football history to reach that number, joining David Villa (59), Raul (44), Fernando Torres (38), Alvaro Morata (37) and David Silva (35).
William Saliba went off injured shortly after with a back problem. Maxence Lacroix replaced him. Losing a first-choice centre-back before half-time against the best attacking unit in the tournament was not the situation France needed.
Porro scored Spain’s second with a one-two that took 3 seconds
Spain won the ball back in the France half in the 58th minute. Porro played it to Olmo. Olmo returned it first-time into the space behind the France defence. Porro arrived in stride and side-footed past Maignan at the near post.
The sequence from pass to goal took three seconds. France had no time to set their shape. Porro covered 60 metres with the ball during the match and completed 23 of 28 passes. He made three clearances and two tackles. He was named Player of the Match.
He is the second Spanish defender to score multiple goals at a single World Cup after Fernando Hierro, who did it in both 1998 and 2002.
France managed 0.30 xG. Mbappe spent 90 minutes chasing the ball.
France’s best chance in the first half came from Bradley Barcola, who fired over under pressure from Rodri. Mbappe tested Unai Simon from distance in the 65th minute. Simon saved it comfortably. That was France’s closest moment.
Didier Deschamps brought on Desire Doue and Rayan Cherki to change the game. Neither found a way through Spain’s defensive structure. France recorded 10 shots. Three were on target. Their total expected goals across 90 minutes was 0.30.
Marc Cucurella made the decisive challenge to deny Mbappe in the second half. Rodri controlled the midfield from the base. Spain did not concede a single shot inside their penalty area that troubled Simon after half-time.
“Playing Spain today felt almost the same as playing Barcelona. They are so technically good on the ball that they don’t just keep possession, they suffocate you with it. As a forward, there were moments where I looked around and realized I hadn’t touched the ball for several minutes. If you can’t keep the ball, you can’t create chances.”
Kylian Mbappe, post-match interview
Deschamps questioned the referee. His own player should have been sent off in the 14th minute.
France manager Didier Deschamps said after the match: “I will ask a question — does the referee possess the required level to manage a World Cup semi-final?” He did not elaborate on which specific decision he was referring to.
In the 14th minute, Michael Olise made a challenge on a Spain player that several analysts flagged as a red card offence. The referee gave a yellow. Olise stayed on the pitch. France’s complaint about officiating sits uncomfortably next to that let-off.
This was Deschamps’ 26th World Cup match as France manager, the most of any coach in the history of the competition. It is also the last. He had already announced he would leave after the tournament regardless of the result.
Spain now share the longest unbeaten run in international football history
Spain’s unbeaten run began after a 1-0 friendly loss to Colombia at the Olympic Stadium in London in March 2024. Since that night, they have not lost. The streak now stands at 37 matches: 28 wins and 9 draws.
Italy held the record alone with 37 matches unbeaten between October 2018 and September 2021. Spain are level. If they win the World Cup final on Sunday, they will set a new all-time record on 38.
Spain have also become the first European nation to win eight consecutive knockout matches across World Cups and European Championships combined. The previous European record of seven was shared by Italy’s back-to-back World Cup winning side of 1934 and 1938, and Spain’s own generation between 2008 and 2012.
Spain vs France — key match stats
| Stat | France | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 0 | 2 |
| xG | 0.30 | 1.63 |
| Shots | 10 | 10 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 2 |
| Possession | 46% | 45% |
| Corners | Higher | Lower |
| Goals conceded (tournament) | — | 1 |
Honest Verdict
The scoreline flatters France slightly — 0.30 xG means they barely created anything. Mbappe’s post-match answer was the most honest summary of the match from anyone in either camp. Spain do not just defend well. They make you defend by keeping the ball. France had no answer for that and Deschamps made no tactical change that worked. The Saliba injury was bad timing but it changed nothing fundamental. Spain were the better side from the first minute. The referee complaint from Deschamps is hard to take seriously given the Olise challenge in the 14th minute. Spain deserved this comfortably. They are one match away from something that has never been done.
FAQs
What was the result of Spain vs France at the World Cup 2026 semi-final?
Spain beat France 2-0 in the World Cup 2026 semi-final at Dallas Stadium on July 14, 2026. Mikel Oyarzabal scored a penalty in the 22nd minute and Pedro Porro added the second in the 58th minute. Spain advance to the final.
Who scored for Spain against France in the World Cup 2026?
Mikel Oyarzabal scored from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute after Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal. Pedro Porro scored the second in the 58th minute with a one-two finish with Dani Olmo. Porro was named Player of the Match.
What is Spain’s unbeaten run record after beating France?
Spain are now unbeaten in 37 consecutive matches, equalling Italy’s all-time record set between 2018 and 2021. The run includes 28 wins and 9 draws across all competitions since a 1-0 loss to Colombia in March 2024.
How old is Lamine Yamal and what did he do in the Spain vs France match?
Lamine Yamal turned 19 years old on the day of the match, July 14, 2026. He won the penalty that Oyarzabal converted for Spain’s opening goal after being fouled by Lucas Digne inside the penalty area.
How can Pakistan fans watch the World Cup 2026 final live?
Pakistan fans can stream the FIFA World Cup 2026 final live on Tapmad. The platform holds official FIFA broadcasting rights in Pakistan and supports mobile and low-data viewing for 4G users.
