European champions one win away from world title
Spain have booked their place in the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating France 2-0 in Tuesday night’s semi-final.
The reigning European champions produced a composed and dominant display, controlling proceedings from start to finish to move within one victory of lifting the World Cup trophy.
Spain took the lead before halftime after France’s Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal inside the penalty area. Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted the resulting spot-kick to give La Roja a deserved advantage.
Luis de la Fuente’s side doubled their lead shortly afterwards when Pedro Porro latched onto a clever flick from Dani Olmo before slotting the ball past the French goalkeeper.
France captain Kylian Mbappé was kept quiet throughout the contest as his hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final came to an end.
The defeat also continued Mbappé’s difficult record against Spain star Lamine Yamal, with the French forward now having lost 11 meetings against the teenage sensation.
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The victory sends Spain into the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, where they will face the winner of Wednesday’s semi-final between England and Argentina.
Having already secured the European Championship, Luis de la Fuente’s side is now one win away from completing a remarkable double by adding the World Cup title to their growing list of honours.
Spain have been one of the tournament’s standout teams, conceding just once en route to the final. They will now be aiming to lift their second FIFA World Cup trophy and their first since their historic triumph in South Africa in 2010.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.