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The matador imposes his personality… and the roosters have no solutions
Spain imposed their character from the first minutes and managed to control the tempo of the game, showing the powerlessness of a seemingly defeated France team to win (2-0) and confirm the right to reach the finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with confidence, discipline and excellence for the majority of the game.
The French team could not keep up with the Spanish system in terms of possession or creating chances, as the Rooster’s players lacked attacking solutions, while the team was disjointed in both defensive and offensive aspects, which gave the matadors a clear advantage that reflected in the course and result of the match.
Spain didn’t need to make an exceptional effort to settle the tie, after they managed to impose their style and close the gaps in front of France’s key players, to come away with a deserved win that confirmed they are one of the most popular candidates to win the title, continuing their strong performances in the qualifiers.
With the win, Spain booked their place in next Sunday’s final, where the winner will face England and Argentina in the other semi-final, while France will have to compete for third place after their campaign at the tournament ends.
The conquest of Spain and the deficit of France
The first half began with Spain dominating the ball and managing to distribute it confidently between the midfielders, while France retreated into their defensive areas, trying to rely on quick counter-attacks, taking advantage of the speed of the back four of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barkola and Michael Olise.
But the Frenchman’s plan fell short, after the Spanish midfielder produced a tactically excellent match as he managed to control the area and cut off passing lanes early on. It also spoiled all of France’s attempts to get into space, preventing the front four from using their speed or posing any real threat to Spain’s goal.
At the other end, Matador’s players continued to press and create chances at intervals, with attacks varying between depth and the wings, until the decisive blow came when Lucas Dine was fouled in the box, obstructing Lamine Yamal, so the referee awarded a penalty that gave Spain a deserved lead.
Mikel Oyarzabal managed to convert a penalty into the first goal, a goal that added to the disarray of the French side as signs of strain were evident on his players, while the team could not seem to follow the Spanish example or regain the initiative, so the first half ended under the complete control of the matador, who imposed his style on every detail of the game.
A heavy hit…and Olesi’s disappearance
After the first goal, the French team received another blow that increased the difficulty of their mission, after William Saliba was injured and left the field, so the technical staff brought on Maxence Lacroix instead. The change wasn’t just a forced substitution, it deprived France of one of its key elements in building play and getting the ball out of defensive areas.
Saliba has a great ability to break lines of pressure with his passes and movements, in addition to his solidity in individual confrontations and his leadership of the back line, so the French team lost balance after his exit and the building attacks became slower and easier for the Spanish to press.
But the real blow was not the injury, but the complete disappearance of Michael Oliz from the scene. The French attack mastermind found himself besieged from Spain’s center throughout the Roosters’ trip as Rodri and Fabian Ruiz closed down all areas in front of him and prevented him from receiving the ball in areas where he is good at differentiating.
Olissi failed to control France’s midfield or create chances as he had done in previous matches and he seemed completely isolated from his teammates, so the technical staff decided to replace him in the 72nd minute and bring on Brian Cherky, clearly acknowledging that the French star had failed to crack the defensive code imposed by Spain.
Deschamps tries… but to no avail
At the start of the second half, France coach Didier Deschamps tried to salvage the situation after realizing in the first 45 minutes that his team could not keep up with Spain’s pace. He made an early substitution, bringing on Manu Kone for Adrien Rabiot, hoping to bring more vitality to the midfield and the ability to withstand the Spanish pressure, especially as the Roma man was in excellent form during the French league.
But this change did not achieve the desired goal, as the game continued in the same scenario as in the first half, with Spain completely in control of the ball and the French unable to break the ball or build organized attacks, so that the Spanish team remained the most dangerous side and controlled the flow of the game.
The Roosters’ hopes were all but dashed in the 58th minute after Pedro Porro scored the Matadors’ second goal from Dani Olmo’s excellent pass, turning Spain’s continued dominance into a more secure advantage on the scoreboard and putting the French side in a difficult position against an opponent with a clear technical and mental advantage.
After the second goal, the match turned into a Spanish display of ball control as the Matador players passed with great confidence, while signs of tension and resignation were evident on the French players who felt defeat was imminent.
This confirms that the French side failed to threaten Unai Simon’s goal with any real chance over the two halves, leaving the game with their weakest attacking performance of the tournament.
The genius of de la Fuente
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente continued to assert his tactical advantage over Didier Deschamps after securing a third consecutive victory against the French coach at major tournaments, in the semi-finals of the European Cup of Nations (2-1), then the semi-finals of the Europa League (5-4) and finally the semi-finals of the World Cup.
The Matador coach deservedly got Spain into the final when he excelled in reading the match and controlling its details from the first minute to the final whistle, with substitutions that kept the Spanish format intact.
De la Fuente ignored pre-match criticism for keeping Pedri on the bench given his deteriorating fitness and opted to rely on Fabian Ruiz alongside Rodri in midfield, a decision that paid off as the duo controlled the space and completely shut down the depth for the French, denying us an attacking third.
The Spanish coach’s stamp did not stop at managing the midfield, but extended to the entire defensive system, as he managed to create a team that defends as a unit without relying on only four or two anchors, and the distances between the lines are ideal, with collective pressure and quick clearance, so that the French team did not score a World Cup goal for the first time.
The tactical commitment was evident in all elements of the Spain team, as Lamin Yamal did not hesitate to return repeatedly to defend Pedro Porro and thwart France’s attempts down the left flank, in a display that reflected the collective spirit that De La Fuente had inspired, and this integrated system that defends and attacks as the most important Spanish unit behind. qualification ticket for the finals of the world championship.
The factors behind the Spaniard’s superiority were not limited to defensive system or tactical discipline, but goalkeeper Unai Simon was one of the most prominent reasons for this success thanks to his emphatic reading of the match.
The Matador keeper played the role of ‘libero’ behind the defensive line and constantly moved forward outside his penalty area to block the long balls that France tried to rely on to avoid Spanish pressure. He also came on more than once with perfect timing to clear balls before they reached Mbappe, to confirm that Spain’s superiority was the result of an integrated system that De La Fuente started with plans and Simeone finished with a calm and determined performance between the three posts.
