Spain beat France 2–0, World Cup final bound

Spain dismantle France 2–0 to reach the World Cup final

Your team is one game from glory. Spain swept past France 2–0 in the semi-final and the performance left no doubt (1). Four straight major tournaments now, La Roja have knocked France out of the 2024 Euros, the 2024 Olympic final, the 2025 Nations League, and this World Cup. That is not luck. That is a pattern.

Luis de la Fuente's side made France look ordinary. Deschamps had no answer. The French press turned on their coach immediately, with one outlet describing the defeat as an identity crisis exposed (1). Mbappé was a ghost, outshone statistically by Yamal. Barcola, Dembélé, Olise, all neutralised.

The dressing room celebration told the story. The Royal Family watched from Zarzuela Palace. The squad believes. When Spain play as a team, De la Fuente says, they are unbeatable. Tuchel and Scaloni have both praised the tactical setup.

New York awaits. England or Argentina in the final.

Lucas Digne targeted after conceding the penalty

Lucas Digne has been hit with a wave of online abuse after conceding the penalty that put France under against Spain (2). The foul was costly. The response has been vicious. Digne's social media has been flooded with hateful messages since full-time. No statement yet from the French federation.

Fan-reaktioner

L'Equipe's player ratings dropped and the scores were brutal for the French (/r/soccer). On /r/realmadrid, Madrid fans spotted something familiar: the match mirrored the recent El Clásico script. More Barça players in the Spain side, more Madrid players in the France side, and the pattern of play felt like a replay.