Spain is officially heading to the FIFA World Cup Final, making it there for the first time since their big win back in 2010. Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro were the heroes on offense, both finding the back of the net, while Unai Simón played out of his mind with two crucial saves. Together, they propelled Spain to a rock-solid 2-0 semifinal victory over Kylian Mbappé and the French squad. What a statement game from Spain, truly showing they mean business!
France's Early Troubles and Spain's Clinical Edge
This match was tough for France right from the jump, giving them their very first deficit of the entire 2026 World Cup campaign. It all started when Spain's Lamine Yamal made a brilliant run, drawing a penalty against Lucas Digne. Oyarzabal stepped up to the spot and calmly converted, putting Spain up 1-0. You could feel the pressure immediately shifting. As if that wasn't enough, France faced another huge challenge early on when William Saliba went down with an injury, forcing Didier Deschamps to use a first-half substitution. That's a gut punch no team wants in a semifinal. Spain kept pushing, even setting up a strong scoring chance for Fabián Ruiz, showing their intent. And let's talk about Unai Simón: the man read Mbappé like a book, running out of the box late in the first half to cut off what looked like a sure breakaway. That was a game-saving moment right there.Porro Seals It, Mbappé Can't Break Through
The second half started with Spain not letting up one bit. Pedro Porro got in behind France's defense after a slick passing play with Dani Olmo, slotting it home to put Spain up by two goals. That felt like the dagger! Lamine Yamal even "scored" what looked like Spain's third goal just minutes later, only for it to be waved off for offside. Imagine the French despair if that had counted! France tried to fight back, getting the ball past Simón late in regulation, but they just couldn't capitalize on the empty net before the Spanish goalkeeper recovered. You could see the frustration building, especially when France earned a late free kick just outside the box. Who else would take it but Mbappé? But even he couldn't find the magic, putting the attempt over the bar. It was just not France's day. Spain closed out the win, proving their defense was absolutely impenetrable when it counted most. What a massive victory for Spain. They'll now prepare for the biggest game of their lives, playing in the final this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, live from New Jersey. Who will they face? We'll find out when England and Argentina battle it out in their own semifinal showdown, happening Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET in Atlanta. This World Cup final is gonna be epic, and Spain has earned every bit of their spot in it.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.