France vs Spain: FIFA World Cup 2026 Semifinal Match Updates | ESP dismantle FRA to reach final

France were the sleek star-vehicle coming into this match when compared to Spain, twinkling blue-clad magicians in every position and another magician on the bench ready to come on as a substitute. But today, the old adage was proven. You can fill your team up with as many legends as you want up front, you are going nowhere with a creaky defence and that is what France were left with when Saliba was forced off. For the rest of the game, France looked unsure, their attackers seem hesitant to unleash shots, losing the ball meant trouble for Mike Maignan.

Spain have also had the rub of the green, always a good sign going into a World Cup final. In the round of 16, Portugal were hurt against them when Nuno Mendes was forced off with an injury. In the quarterfinal, Belgium's talismanic goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was forced off. Now, Saliba.

Spain as perfect as a football team can possibly be today. France, probably the best team in the competition, made to look like a side that never stood a chance. Luis de la Fuente may not be a name the world has heard too much about but today, his side put up an all-round masterclass that was built on the foundation of a defence that first said 'Not Today' and then stuck by it. It cannot be understated just how bug an achievement that is. France have been irresistible. Their attackers are all some of the most sought after names in the world of football and the same can be said for their defence. Clearly, the loss of Saliba had a huge effect as they looked shaky right after the Arsenal defender walked off. It is also debatable if Saliba would have let Porro wander into the box for Spain's second goal the way Lacroix did. France looked infallible, but the vulnerabilities were there beneath all that shine and today, Spain exposed that with ruthless efficiency.

Only once before this have Spain made it to the final of the World Cup. And that was in 2010. Messrs. Casillas, Ramos, Puyol and Xavi are in the stands and they will be able to tell you what had happened back then.

... as Spain pass the ball around in the fourth minute of added time. Iker Casillas, Xavi, Sergio Ramos and Carles Puyol are watching on from the stands and they would know what it is like to keep passing the ball between themselves like the opposition doesn't exist. France looked too good to be true all tournament long. Turns out they were after all.

87th min: Two moments involving two French superstars that sums their day up. First, Dembele brought down by Rodri on the left. He takes the free kick quickly and fails to beat the first man, an absolute waste. A minute later, Simon takes his own sweet time taking the ball into his hands, Mbappe charges at him there is a bit of contact and Simon goes down. Mbappe gets a yellow card for that.

France didn't have a single shot on target in that first half. That number has increased to one in the second.

81st min: Long ball down the middle and Mbappe is released. But Spain have Unai Simon in goal and he is more than happy to come rushing out and smother any such dangers decisively. He heads it clear, the ball comes to Doue. He could have taken a shot with Simon well outside the box. But Doue hesitates and when he finally does take the shot, he somehow picks an in-motion Simon in the box to perfection.

72nd min: This is a surprising one. Cherki comes on, not a surprise, for a Michael Olise, which is as surprising as they come. Olise has been pretty ineffective today but there is still a decent amount of time left in this match. Wonder why France would think he didn't have anything more to give today. Meanwhile, Digne is taken off for Theo Hernandez. Digne was really struggling to deal with Yamal and the more pacy Hernandez might do a better job. At least that seems to be the thinking.

66th min: Spain sitting back now and Mbappe gets the ball on the left. He takes a crack and it deflects out for a corner that comes to nothing. France keeping the ball near the Spanish final third but the latter don't seem to be too troubled, they know exactly what to do.

63rd min: France getting shredded to blue threads here. Yamal slips past Digne with ease and taps the ball past Maignon. Horror horror for a couple of seconds there for the French before the linesman raises his flag for off side. Yamal disagrees but VAR holds it up. Where are France?

57th min: It is a change that France have made throughout this tournament, Desire Doue coming on for Bradley Barcola. Can this spark France to life?

Lamine Yamal, whose name Peter Drury seems to be really struggling with in the world feed commentary, breaks forward from the right. Takes maybe a second too long to get his shot off and Maignan smothers him. And none of matters, because the linesman raises his flag for off side.

Well the two sides are ready to get back to the field. This wast the first half in numbers. Not much to write home about from a neutral perspective.

Well, not many would've envisaged a first half like this for a match up between these two sides. Spain have done well to make France look toothless (!!!!!). Les Bleus, with all those star names in front, have managed just two shots throughout this half, and both of them were off target. Not much to talk about at the other end either. There was just one shot that Spain managed to keep on target and that was the penalty that Oyarzabal converted. And yet, do remember this is a World Cup semifinal. Desperation is going to come into play sooner than later which is why this match, for now, feels like a coiled up spring instead of a sleeping cat.

43rd min: Mbappe is freed up down the left but Unai Simon does brilliantly well to charge out of his box and clear the ball away. The ball goes out for a corner where Simon makes a hash of a regular collection by almost grabbing Oyarzabal's head instead of the ball. But the ball is cleared away safely.

France have not had a single shot on target throughout this first half.

36th min: France seem a little shaken after going behind here. First they are nearly opened by some simple one-two between Cucurella and Olmo, Upamecano just about clears it. Then a simple long ball down the middle leads to Maignon coming out and scampering to clear it away with not a single French body around to help him. Then France themselves try to put some pressure with Barcola charging down the right. He cuts in and lets a shot fly over the bar.

30th min: Right at the half-hour mark, France have lost one of their first-choice centre-backs. That is the only explanation for this. Deschamps doesn't look too surprised by this. William Saliba hobbles off the pitch and Maxence Lacroix of Crystal Palace comes on his place. This is a huge blow for France, unless they knew about whatever it is that is bothering Saliba well in advance.

Oyarzabal thunders it in. None of that slow stutter, panenka nonsense. He has put his laces through that, smashes the ball into the right-hand corner. Maignan went the right way but no goalkeeper is saving that. Spain are ahead in the World Cup semifinal.

15th min: What a break that was. Dembele with a beautifuly weighted ball to Mbappe and Unai Simon was well outside his box, let alone his line! There were three other defenders, with Mbappe and it was tricky for him to get the ball in control but he does it somehow. Spanish centre backs Laporte and Cubarsi do well to usher him away from taking a shot with Simon still scrambling to get into position. Mbappe passes it back to Dembele who smashes it square in an attempt to find Olise. The attack then fizzles out. That first pass from Dembele to Mbappe and the way the latter controlled it is a little snapshot of what France can do. And why Simon can't go out on strolls the way he was at that time.

8th min: A French break is nipped in the bud when Olise's attempt to find Mbappe is intercepted. The ball goes the other way where Rabiot throws in a foot at Dani Olmo, who goes down in apparent agony. Free kick give right at the edge of the box on the left. And it is an early yellow card for Rabiot as well!

2nd min: Spain having the majority of the possession, as expected, in the first two minutes. The only real mis-pass from a Spaniard thus far was when Cucurella inadvertently passed the ball to Olise, who was then promptly smothered. A lot of nothing in the first two minutes.

Mikel Merino's versatility is well known but one wouldn't really put him in the same bracket as the likes of Yamal, Pedri, Olmo and Co. as far as creativity goes. And yet, here he is, on the Spanish bench, having scored the two most important goals of their tournament in the round of 16 and the quarterfinal.

France starting XI: Mike Maignan, Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Lucas Digne, Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, Kylian Mbappe

France subs: Brice Samba, Robin Risser, Malo Gusto, Ibrahima Konate, Theo Hernandez, Lucas Hernandez, Maxence Lacroix, Manu Kone, N’Golo Kante, Warren Zaire-Emery, Rayan Cherki, Maghnes Akliouche, Marcus Thuram, Desire Doue, Jean-Philippe Mateta

Spain starting XI: Unai Simon, Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena, Mikel Oyarzabal

Spain subs: David Raya, Joan Garcia, Marc Pubill, Alex Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Marcos Llorente, Mikel Merino, Gavi, Martin Zubimendi, Pedri, Ferran Torres, Yeremy Pino, Nico Williams, Victor Munoz, Borja Iglesias