Spain reaches World Cup final after stunning France, coach hails 'best team in the world'

Spain's national football team has secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup final, achieving a significant milestone by defeating tournament favorites France 2-0 in a stunning semi-final upset. Coach Luis de la Fuente lauded his squad as the "best team in the world" following their dominant performance at Dallas Stadium.

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We started almost four years ago with an idea and we’ve been faithful to that idea and it’s brought us here.

De la Fuente, who has consistently expressed confidence in his team's abilities throughout the tournament, was visibly proud of their tactical masterclass against France. This victory extends Spain's winning streak against France to three consecutive competitive matches and follows their triumph in the 2024 European Championship under the same coach.

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Today we faced one of the best national teams in the world, but in front of them they had the best team in the world. That is different.

"We started almost four years ago with an idea and we’ve been faithful to that idea and it’s brought us here," de la Fuente stated after the match. He emphasized the team's unwavering commitment, solidarity, generosity, and talent, noting how they make difficult plays appear effortless. This win represents the culmination of a long-term project focused on a specific playing philosophy.

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These players deserve everything, day after day they’ve showed their commitment, their solidarity, their generosity, their talent.

The coach reflected on the magnitude of the achievement, preparing Spain for their first World Cup final appearance since 2010. "These players deserve everything," he added, expressing immense pride in his team's journey and their collective effort. Spain now looks ahead to Sunday's final, aiming to cap off their remarkable campaign with the ultimate prize.

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They make the difficult look easy.