Spain absolutely throttled France 2-0 in the World Cup semifinals Tuesday, a performance so dominant it had King Felipe VI himself on the horn calling coach Luis de la Fuente with congratulations. The king, watching from Barcelona in a Spain jersey, shared what pretty much all of Spain's 48 million citizens wanted to say: Bravo. Spain was straight up magisterial at AT&T Stadium, knocking out Les Bleus and earning their spot in the final for the first time since their only world title 16 years ago.
La Roja's Perfect Plan Shut Down France
De la Fuente's game plan was executed from start to finish, a clinic in high pressure, smothering defense, and elegant passing that gave Spain total control. Mikel Oyarzabal kicked things off with a penalty goal in the 22nd minute, celebrating with Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo. Then, Pedro Porro sealed the deal in the 58th, combining clinically with Dani Olmo for the second goal. France's superstar Kylian Mbappé and his teammates, who scored 16 goals in six matches before this, found almost no space against Spain. French coach Didier Deschamps had to admit it himself, "Spanish teams know how to defend and master their game very well. We need to accept this loss. Congratulations to the Spanish team. This is what elite football is about." France couldn't even dream of a comeback like their World Cup final four years ago in Qatar against Argentina. Spain made them look ordinary.Spain's Unstoppable Roll
This Spain squad, under Luis de la Fuente, is performing like the most complete team in the World Cup. De la Fuente carries a ridiculous 37-game unbeaten streak into the final, a run built on the back of overseeing the 2024 European Championship title. He said it best: "We're so proud of this. We are responsible for this joy people are feeling in the streets. We are a country united for a common cause. So let's enjoy this." Their journey through North America has been wild. After a scoreless draw with Cape Verde in their opener, they've racked up six victories and conceded just one measly goal total. They're going into the final as favorites, no question. Mikel Oyarzabal put it perfectly, "You can't even dream about these things being in a final. There's just one more step to go. We're making history, and we just want to go one more step forward." The last step, and definitely the toughest one, is Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Spain will face either reigning champion Argentina or England for the ultimate prize. This isn't just a game; it's a chance to etch their names in history. Get ready.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.