France's dream of a World Cup championship just got absolutely shattered, with Spain derailing Les Bleus in a brutal semifinal match on Tuesday, July 14. Spain is now heading to its second World Cup final ever, while France won't be in the title match for the third consecutive tournament. This one hurts, big time.
The Semifinal Heartbreak in Dallas
This game was a tough pill to swallow for France fans. Spain dropped goals early in the first half and then again in the second, completely shutting out France. Think about that: this was the *first time* France had been shut out in the entire tournament, and it happened in the semis. To get that far, only to be stopped cold by Spain, is incredibly frustrating. Les Bleus were fighting for their third World Cup title, and their first since 2018. We saw players like Kylian Mbappe warming up, ready to make a difference, but it just wasn't enough. On the other side, Spain's Lamine Yamal was also on the field, poised for his team's big moments. Spain deserved the win in Arlington, sending them through to the final.A Shot at Redemption Still Waits
Here's the wild part: usually, a knockout round loss means your tournament run is DONE. But not for France, not this time. While they absolutely won't get a shot at the championship trophy, their World Cup journey isn't totally over. France still has another match on the schedule. They'll be playing in the third-place match this Saturday, July 18. This isn't just a throwaway game, either. France has played in three third-place matches before, finishing third in both 1958 and 1986. They'll face off against whoever loses the other semifinal showdown between England and Argentina, which goes down on Wednesday, July 15. The third-place match kicks off at 5 p.m. ET this Saturday, July 18, from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. It's a chance for France to end their tournament on a high note and claim a historic third-place finish. Let's see if they can rally and still bring home some hardware.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.