World Cup· Season 2026
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
The match turned in the 22nd minute when Lucas Digne, attempting to clear Marc Cucurella's cross-field pass, caught Lamine Yamal across the thigh with a wild swing. Salvadoran referee Iván Barton pointed to the spot without hesitation. Oyarzabal, Spain's captain and talisman, smashed the penalty into the top-right corner beyond Mike Maignan for his fifth goal of the tournament.
France's problems deepened eight minutes later when centre-back William Saliba pulled up with a recurrence of his lower back injury and was replaced by Maxence Lacroix. France finished the first half without a single shot on target and just two attempts overall.
Didier Deschamps replaced Adrien Rabiot (who was on a yellow card from the 9th minute) with Manu Koné at half-time, then threw on Désiré Doué for Bradley Barcola in the 57th minute. Sixty seconds later, Spain put the game to bed.
Porro played a sharp pass into Dani Olmo at the edge of the box, made his run, and collected Olmo's return ball as Koné and Doué watched him drift into space. The Tottenham full-back slotted coolly past Maignan at the near post for his second goal of the tournament.
The Turning Point
Porro's 58th-minute goal, scored within a minute of Deschamps' second substitution, deflated any French hopes of a response. France had not conceded a goal in four of their previous five matches — and had never won a World Cup game after trailing at half-time. The second goal extinguished the slim hope of a comeback before it could ignite.
Key Performers
Pedro Porro (Spain) — Named FIFA Player of the Match. A goal and involved in nearly every dangerous Spanish attack. His defensive work kept the right flank secure and his intelligent run for the second goal exposed France's disorganised midfield shape.
Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) — Scored the crucial opener from the spot and led the press from the front. His fifth goal of the tournament makes him Spain's leading scorer at this World Cup.
Rodri (Spain) — The midfield metronome. Dictated the tempo, kept Spain's shape compact, and limited France's transitions to almost nothing.
Lamine Yamal (Spain) — Won the penalty that broke the deadlock and occupied two French defenders whenever Spain had possession.
Kylian Mbappé (France) — The Golden Boot leader entering the match (8 goals, 3 assists) was a non-factor. Spain routinely double-teamed him in transition, limiting him to one shot on target and just 38 touches.
What It Means
Spain will face either England or Argentina in Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey (19 July). They are seeking their second World Cup title, 16 years after the 2010 triumph in South Africa.
France will contest the third-place play-off on Saturday (18 July) in Miami — the final match of Didier Deschamps' 14-year tenure as head coach.
Spain's unbeaten run now stands at 37 matches (W28 D9), equalling Italy's European record.
Match Events
Penalty
assist: Dani Olmo
France and Spain have met 5 times — France won 1, Spain won 4, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2012. Spain leads the head-to-head with 4 victories from 5 meetings. A combined 19 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 3.80 per match (7 for the home side, 12 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 3 matches (60%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 3 games (60%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 5–4 in 2025.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 15 Jul 2026