France was eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday following a 2-0 defeat to Spain in the tournament's semifinal match at Dallas Stadium. The loss ends France's pursuit of a third World Cup title and marks the third consecutive summer that Spain has defeated the French side in a major tournament semifinal. Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro secured the win for Spain, who will now advance to the final to face either Argentina or England.
Spain established control early in the match, with Oyarzabal scoring from a penalty kick in the 22nd minute after a foul by France's Lucas Digne on teenager Lamine Yamal. Despite France's efforts to equalize, Spain maintained a disciplined defensive structure and doubled their lead in the 58th minute through a well-executed play involving Pedro Porro and Dani Olmo. France, led by captain Kylian Mbappé, struggled to find offensive rhythm and failed to break down the Spanish defense throughout the match.
Following the defeat, France manager Didier Deschamps acknowledged that his team was second best on the day. He noted that while his players were devastated, the team lacked the necessary technical precision and offensive aggression to challenge Spain effectively. Deschamps, who is set to step down after the tournament, emphasized that the responsibility for the result lies with him and the team's performance rather than external factors.
France will now prepare for the third-place match scheduled for Saturday in Miami Gardens. Meanwhile, Spain moves on to the World Cup final, which will take place on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. The result highlights a shift in momentum between the two nations, with Spain continuing to demonstrate tactical superiority in recent head-to-head tournament encounters.