Spain defeated France with authority and secured one of the two spots in the 2026 World Cup final. While both teams entered the match as contenders, Luis de la Fuente believes La Roja is the best team in the world.
“Today we faced one of the best national teams in the world, but they had the best team in the world in front of them,” the manager said after speaking with the press following his team’s victory.
Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring with a penalty kick in the first half, while Pedro Porro sealed the final 2-0 scoreline that sent Spain into the final. La Roja now await their opponent, which will come from the winner of Argentina vs. England.
The fate of Les Bleus is now the opposite. France will play for third place next Saturday in Miami and, despite having earned a significant amount of money by reaching this stage, the disappointment of missing out on a third consecutive World Cup final is evident.
Pedro Porro #12 of Spain celebrates after the 2-0 victory during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final.
Deschamps’ complaint
The match was marked by several situations in which Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton became a central figure. Although none of them directly influenced the final result, France believe the officiating was somewhat biased.
Didier Deschamps questioned Barton’s performance, delivering a strong statement after the match was over: “Tell me, does this referee have the level to officiate a World Cup semifinal?”
What’s next for Spain?
Luis de la Fuente’s team took a major step toward achieving its dream of winning a second World Cup title. Will it be an easy task? Absolutely not, but Spain will now need to recharge their energy while waiting to find out who will be their opponent in the decisive match.
The final will take place at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 19, with kickoff scheduled for 3 PM ET. The third-place playoff, where France will compete, will be played on Saturday, July 18, at Miami Stadium.
SurveyWho will be Spain’s opponent in the Final?
Who will be Spain’s opponent in the Final?
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