Spain reached its first FIFA World Cup final since lifting the trophy in 2010 after a dominant 2-0 victory against France, leaving the tournament’s most feared attack with only two shots on target after 90 minutes.
It took 22 minutes for Spain to break the deadlock. Marc Cucurella swung a deep cross into the French area that Lucas Digne brought down on his chest, but as the left back tried to clear, Lamine Yamal stepped across him and was caught by the follow through.
The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Striker Mikel Oyarzabal drilled the penalty high into the net, giving goalkeeper Mike Maignan no chance.
France, who had not trailed at any point during the tournament, looked unsure how to respond. They struggled to find any breathing space for their free-flowing football. Michael Olise was a virtual spectator, smothered by Cucurella, the 24-year-old losing possession 20 times.
Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembele offered nothing, while Bradley Barcola and his replacement Desire Doue proved equally ineffective. Even Kylian Mbappe was unable to conjure up his usual magic.
Spain then extended its lead just before the hour when defender Pedro Porro calmly exchanged passes with Dani Olmo, before finishing brilliantly as he was one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
A contest that had promised so much, however, swiftly tilted into a lop-sided affair as the Spaniards controlled the tempo as comprehensively as the ball, and left France chasing shadows.
France had come armed with the most lethal attack in world football, but it made little difference. Spain monopolised the ball, closed up the space and starved Les Bleus of the one thing their forwards needed — possession.
“A dream come true … to be honest, I never even imagined anything like this, not even in my wildest dreams,” Porro said. “We did everything right against a team that was having a brilliant World Cup.”
Spain are now within one victory of completing a World Cup-European Championship double. They will discover their final opponents on Wednesday when England face Argentina in Atlanta for a place in Sunday’s showpiece.
France, meanwhile, were left to contemplate the bleak consolation of a third-place playoff after their World Cup hopes were comprehensively extinguished.
“We did not produce the performance we wanted, tactically, technically or in terms of our overall level,” Mbappe said. “When you fail to do what you are supposed to do in a World Cup semi-final, you do not win.”
“Spain stuck to their plan and to what they believe in. There was a lack of communication in our pressing… even when we won possession back, our first passes and first touches were not worthy of a World Cup semi-final.”
