France defeated by Spain in World Cup semifinals, misses third consecutive final

France's hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final were dashed as they fell 2-0 to Spain in the 2026 semifinals held in Dallas. Spain, the reigning European champions, secured their spot in the final, where they will face either Argentina or England on July 19 in New York, vying for their second world title after 2010.

The French team, known as Les Bleus, will now compete for third place against the loser of the other semifinal on July 18 in Miami. This marks a disappointing end to their campaign after previous final appearances in 2018 and 2022.

Goalkeeper Mike Maignan received a rating of 4.5, unable to prevent goals from Oyarzabal (penalty in the 22nd minute) and a second Spanish strike in the 58th minute. The AC Milan keeper was largely beaten by Spain's pressing game, though the Spanish side did not create an overwhelming number of chances.

Players like Michael Olise struggled to break free from Spain's defensive pressure throughout the match. Lucas Digne also made errors, while Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé were largely ineffective, unable to turn the tide for the French side. The article notes that the match was a "football lesson" delivered by Spain.