Spain walked into the World Cup semifinal as the team nobody really talked about winning. France had the stars. The hype. The pedigree. And most pregame chatter assumed Les Bleus would roll. Instead, Spain did something far more interesting. They made France look ordinary. For 90 minutes, the French looked like a team that forgot how to play together.
Luis de la Fuente’s squad has now gone 37 games unbeaten internationally. That ties Italy’s record from 2018-2021. And they did it playing a version of tiki-taka that feels both modern and ruthless. Not the slow, sideways stuff from a few years ago. This version presses hard, defends in packs, and attacks through tight spaces like it’s the only way they know how.
France never found a rhythm
From the opening whistle, Spain’s midfield was the story. Rodri and Fabian Ruiz played like they had magnets in their boots. Every time France tried to build through the middle, one of them was there. They defended deep, stepped out with the ball, and connected with the forwards faster than France could reset. Alex Baena tucked inside to help against Ousmane Dembele, who spent most of the game fighting for space he never really got.
Aurelien Tchouameni was left alone in midfield. Adrien Rabiot got pulled at halftime. Manu Kone brought a little more energy but France’s attack still felt disconnected. Mbappe tried to lead the press but it never quite clicked. Bradley Barcola found decent spots in the first half but couldn’t turn them into chances. William Saliba went off injured in the 29th minute and Maxence Lacroix struggled to replace him. That hurt more than people might realize.
Yamal turned 19 and turned the game
Lamine Yamal turned 19 the day before the match. He played like someone who had been in these moments for a decade. Didn’t have the ball constantly but made everything he touched count. He went at Lucas Digne repeatedly. Won a penalty when Digne couldn’t take his eyes off the ball. Yamal got to passes that seemed out of reach. It’s the kind of performance that makes you forget how young he actually is.
Spain’s second goal came in the 58th minute. Dani Olmo flicked a pass under pressure to Pedro Porro, who slotted his second career international goal. After that, France never really threatened. They had possession here and there but nothing dangerous. Spain defended as a unit. Attacked the same way. France had more talent on paper but you wouldn’t have known it watching the game.
Michael Olise, who had chemistry with Mbappe all tournament, couldn’t find those passes. Dembele, Desire Doue, Barcola — they all looked like individuals trying to do too much alone. Spain looked like a team. And that’s usually the difference at this stage.
Spain will face either Argentina or England in the final. Either way, they’ve made it clear they’re not just happy to be there. They’re playing like a team that expects to win.
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