Spain crushes France 2-0 in Dallas to reach World Cup final, extending unbeaten run to 37 matches

Spain delivered a masterclass in Dallas on Tuesday night, dismantling France 2-0 in the World Cup semifinal and extending its unbeaten streak to 37 matches, equaling Italy's all-time record. Luis de la Fuente's side, already the reigning European champion and Olympic gold medalist, controlled every phase of the game, reducing a star-studded French attack to a single shot on target.

Midfield dominance decides the semifinal

Spain's grip on the match began in the center of the pitch. Rodri, the Ballon d'Or holder, produced what multiple Spanish outlets called his finest performance of the tournament, acting as both metronome in possession and shield in defense. Fabián Ruiz kept his place alongside Rodri, while Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal dropped deep to overload the midfield. France's Adrien Rabiot lost two early balls in succession, and the reintroduction of Aurélien Tchouameni, absent from the previous two knockout rounds and without a match for 15 days, did not stabilize the situation. Didier Deschamps had left Manu Koné out of the starting eleven, a gamble that backfired as France's midfield was overrun.

The monumental exhibition is good for lovers of football beyond nationalities, because it rewards a model of collective and compact play that gravitates around the ball.

France's attack neutralized

Kylian Mbappé managed his first and only shot on target after the hour mark, with Spain already leading 2-0. Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, and Bradley Barcola, preferred to Désiré Doué, were unable to combine or create chances. Spain's defensive structure, anchored by the central pairing of Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte, smothered France's transitions. Unai Simón conceded only one goal across Spain's seven World Cup matches. William Saliba, one of the tournament's best central defenders, left the pitch injured, compounding France's problems.

Rarely has a team packed with stars, arriving at a semifinal in top form like France, received such a footballing lesson of commitment and conviction as the one Spain gave.

Lamine Yamal's influence without scoring

The 19-year-old Barcelona forward did not find the net but forced a decisive penalty and again got the better of Mbappé in their individual duel. The result marked the sixth consecutive single-leg elimination in which a team featuring Mbappé has lost to one featuring Yamal. After the final whistle, Mbappé collided with Unai Simón and appeared to leave the pitch without greeting opponents or teammates. L'Équipe had previewed the match with a "red alert" headline, a warning that proved prescient.

A four-year reign

Spain's victory adds a World Cup final appearance to a trophy cabinet that already includes the European Championship, the Olympic gold, and a Nations League title. Oyarzabal's five goals in the tournament match the Spanish World Cup tallies of David Villa in 2010 and Emilio Butragueño in 1986. The team started the tournament with a draw against Cape Verde and has since grown into the competition's most formidable unit, blending possession-based control with aggressive pressing.

Stars in the stands

AT&T Stadium drew a constellation of celebrities. Javier Bardem attended with his eldest son, while Timothée Chalamet wore a France shirt. World Cup 2010 winners Carles Puyol, Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Xavi Hernández, Fernando Llorente, Jesús Navas, Carlos Marchena, Raúl Albiol, Javi Martínez, and Pepe Reina watched from the stands. David and Victoria Beckham, former NFL quarterback Drew Brees, Usain Bolt, and Noah Lyles were also present. A minute of silence was observed for former Qatari emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who died on Sunday at 74, and for the victims of the 2016 Nice terrorist attack.

What comes next

The final will take place later this week. Spain arrives with momentum, organization, and the confidence of a team that has not lost in 37 outings. The opponent is yet to be determined, but De la Fuente's squad has already eliminated the 2018 champion and 2022 runner-up and will carry a formidable record into the match.