Spain reached its second World Cup final by doing the one thing that has defined its tournament: keeping the other team from scoring. La Roja beat France 2-0 in the semifinal Tuesday night in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, posting a record sixth shutout in seven games and closing the door on Kylian Mbappe, one of the most prolific scorers in World Cup history [1].
On social feeds, the night belonged to a 19-year-old. Clips of Lamine Yamal — a day past his 19th birthday, according to AP's own account, which notes he turned 19 the day before the match — racing in from behind, taking the ball off his elbow and drawing the foul that set up the opening penalty ran on a loop, framed as the moment a teenager knocked France out. The frame is not wrong so much as it is incomplete. It celebrates the assist-that-wasn't and lets the box score fade. AP's tally is blunter: Yamal did not score. He was denied one on a close offside call after Pedro Porro's give-and-go with Dani Olmo in the 58th minute had already put Spain up 2-0 [1].
The goals came from elsewhere. Mikel Oyarzabal converted from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute after defender Lucas Digne kicked Yamal in the area — Digne, playing his 63rd game for France six days before his 33rd birthday, was trying to clear a poor headed touch when the teenager challenged him [1]. It was Oyarzabal's fifth goal of the tournament and his 30th in 60 internationals for Spain, and it marked the first time either side had trailed in seven games. Porro added the second when he broke free to receive a return pass from Olmo, who got the touch just before Dayot Upamecano knocked him off his feet [1].
The gap between the feed and the box score matters because it hides where this Spanish team is actually strong. Goalkeeper Unai Simon and the defense in front of him have allowed one goal in seven matches. Spain has outscored opponents 12-1 since a scoreless draw with surprising Cape Verde opened group play, and the lone goal Simon conceded — in the quarterfinal against Belgium — snapped his World Cup record of 650 scoreless minutes [1]. "We were up against one of the best national teams in the world, but today, they were facing the best team in the world," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said [1].
France's own captain landed on the same explanation the highlight reels skip. "It's a team who loves to have control of the game, control of the ball. That's what we let them do," said Mbappe, who got none of his three shots on target. "It's difficult when you don't change the play of Spain" [1]. He remains tied with Lionel Messi for the tournament-high eight goals and leads the Golden Boot race on the assist tiebreaker, with the third-place game still to come. "As the captain, I have to take all the responsibility and I have no problem with that," he said. "We wanted to go to the final. We didn't go" [1].
Departing France coach Didier Deschamps was harsher on his own team. "Spain has been able to defend well," he said through a translator. "They've closed out all the spaces and also we've made some technical mistakes. So it is difficult to create problems when the technical level is below standard" [1]. The loss ended France's record-matching streak of six straight World Cup wins, a run it also managed in 2018 and 2022, and denied it a bid to become only the third team to reach three consecutive finals [1].
The result also extends a pattern the viral clips flatten into a single kid's story. This was the third summer in a row Spain has beaten France in a tournament semifinal — Yamal scored in a 2-1 win at the 2024 European Championship days before his 17th birthday, and Spain won 5-4 in Nations League play last year [1]. The win stretched Spain's unbeaten streak in regular time to 37 matches, 28 wins and nine draws since March 2024, breaking the country's previous record of 35 set from 2007 to 2009 [1].
Spain, the 2010 champion, will face either defending champion Argentina or England on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, across the river from New York City; those two play Wednesday in Atlanta [1]. France meets the loser in the third-place game Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida [1]. "So difficult to get to this moment, but we want more," midfielder Rodri said. "We want to win this World Cup" [1]. The trophy will not be decided by which clip travels furthest — it will be decided, as this semifinal was, by who concedes.
-- AMARA OKONKWO, Lagos