Spain defeats France 2-0 to reach World Cup final after 16-year absence

Spain's "Invincible Armada" has reached the World Cup final, defeating France 2-0 in a dominant semifinal performance on July 15 in Dallas. This victory marks Spain's first World Cup final appearance in 16 years, since their triumph in 2010.

The decisive goals came from Mikel Oyarzabal, who calmly converted a penalty in the 20th minute after a foul on Lamine Yamal, and Pedro Porro, who sealed the win with a goal in the 58th minute after a one-two pass with Dani Olmo. France struggled to create chances throughout the match, with Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé contained by Spain's organized defense. The French team also faced adversity with the early substitution of key defender William Saliba due to injury.

Spain's win extends their unbeaten streak in international matches to 37 games (28 wins, 9 draws) and marks their third consecutive victory over France. They will now face the winner of the other semifinal between England and Argentina on July 20 in New York/New Jersey for the championship title.

France, which had been aiming for a historic third consecutive World Cup final appearance, will instead compete in the third-place playoff match.

“

Spain defeats France 2-0 to reach the World Cup final for the first time in 16 years.