Spain produced a disciplined defensive display and capitalized on France's lackluster attacking performance to secure a 2-0 victory in the 2026 World Cup semifinal on Tuesday, set up their second final in history.
Mikel Oyarzabal converted a first-half penalty before Pedro Porro doubled Spain's advantage after the break as Luis de la Fuente's side outplayed France and kept another clean sheet to advance.
Spain will face the winner of the other semifinal between Argentina and England in Sunday's final.
France threatened early through Kylian Mbappe, whose pace caused problems for Spain's defense, but clear-cut chances were limited as both teams started cautiously.
Spain gradually took control of possession and earned the breakthrough in the 20th minute. Lamine Yamal darted into the penalty area and was clipped by Lucas Digne, prompting the referee to award a penalty. Oyarzabal calmly sent goalkeeper Mike Maignan the wrong way to give Spain a 1-0 lead.
France's problems worsened before halftime when defender William Saliba was forced off with a back injury, while Adrien Rabiot escaped a second yellow card after another late challenge.
Trailing 1-0 at the interval, France introduced Manu Kone at the start of the second half and later sent on Desire Doue, Rayan Cherki and Theo Hernandez in search of an equalizer.
Instead, Spain extended their lead in the 58th minute. Dani Olmo combined with Pedro Porro on the right before the full-back drove into the penalty area and finished low past Maignan for his first goal of the tournament.
Spain nearly made it 3-0 moments later when Yamal curled home after beating a defender, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
France enjoyed more possession after the hour mark but struggled to break down Spain's disciplined defense. Mbappe forced goalkeeper Unai Simon into a save from a tight angle, while Marc Cucurella produced a crucial block to deny the France captain late in the match.
France's frustration grew as the clock wound down. Mbappe was booked after colliding with Simon while attempting to retrieve the ball quickly, and Didier Deschamps' side failed to create sustained pressure despite seven minutes of stoppage time.
Spain almost added a third goal when substitute Mikel Merino pounced on a rebound, but the match ultimately ended 2-0, sending La Roja into the World Cup final with another composed display.
The victory continues Spain's impressive knockout run after eliminating Portugal in the round of 16 and Belgium in the quarterfinals, while France will have to settle for the third-place match after conceding for the first time in the knockout stage.
