Spain ends France's World Cup final hopes with semifinal victory

Spain has ended France's bid for a third consecutive World Cup final, securing a hard-fought 2-0 victory in a match described as the most valuable semifinal in the tournament's history due to the players' market worth. The win allows Spain to dream of repeating their 2012 success, when they triumphed in the Euros and subsequently won the World Cup 16 years ago.

France, aiming to celebrate their national day with a place in the final, found themselves trailing early. A penalty, awarded after Barcelona's Lamine Yamal drew a foul from Lucas Digne, was calmly converted by Mikel Oyarzabal in the 22nd minute. Yamal, celebrating his 19th birthday, had been eager to make a significant impact after a somewhat subdued tournament performance following an injury. "I'm not worried about the lack of goals, but scoring in matches like these is always something special. This is undoubtedly the most important match of my career. But I'm not afraid. I'm ready for the challenge. I know it will be a special day for me," Yamal had stated before the game.

France's challenges were compounded by an injury to defender William Saliba after halftime, forcing a reshuffle in their defense. This disruption, coupled with Spain's solid defensive structure and controlled midfield play, stifled the attacking threat of Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, who had been responsible for 13 of France's 16 goals in the tournament. Spain extended their lead in the second half with a goal from Pedro Porro, sealing the victory against a French side that struggled to break down their disciplined opponents.

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I'm not worried about the lack of goals, but scoring in matches like these is always something special. This is undoubtedly the most important match of my career. But I'm not afraid. I'm ready for the challenge. I know it will be a special day for me.