Spain are through to the 2026 World Cup final after beating France 2-0 in the semi‑final. Mikel Oyarzabal scored from the penalty spot and Pedro Porro added the second to end Les Bleus’ run. La Roja will play in their first final since 2010, waiting on the winner of Argentina v England.
France captain Kylian Mbappé didn’t hold back after the loss, blaming the team’s tactical setup more than individual errors. He pointed to a midfield imbalance, saying Spain’s playmakers had too much freedom. “We were three against two in midfield, and against Spain, that’s hard. Fabian and Rodri had plenty of time to play. There was a lack of communication in the press. I think we should have done man-to-man press and forced them to run with us,” he said via ESPN.
The defeat also looks like the end of an era for France. Didier Deschamps is expected to step down after the third‑place match, closing a run that began in 2012 and included the 2018 World Cup win. World Cup icon Zinedine Zidane is widely tipped to take over.
And there’s a side effect: Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise saw their Ballon d’Or chances take a hit after France’s exit.
