Spain have booked their place in the World Cup final after defeating France in a thrilling semi-final clash in Dallas, with manager Luis de la Fuente praising his players for staying committed to their football philosophy.
De la Fuente said Spain’s success was built on nearly four years of developing a clear identity and trusting their style of play, adding that the team’s performance against France showed they belong among the world’s best.
“We started almost four years ago with an idea and we’ve been faithful to that idea and it’s brought us here. 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,” De la Fuente said.
Spain took control early after earning a penalty in the 22nd minute when William Digne caught Lamine Yamal while attempting to clear the ball inside the France box. Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted the spot kick to give Spain the lead.
France suffered another setback in the 30th minute when defender William Saliba was forced off injured and replaced by Maxence Lacroix. Despite moments of pressure, France struggled to create clear opportunities against a disciplined Spanish side.
Spain doubled their advantage in the 58th minute through Pedro Porro, who combined with Dani Olmo before finishing a well-worked team move. France briefly thought they had a response when Yamal found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
The French side attempted to increase their attacking threat, but Spain remained organised. Substitute Michael Olise, who had impressed earlier in the tournament, was unable to influence the game and was replaced after a quiet performance.
France manager Didier Deschamps admitted his team failed to reach their usual standards on the biggest stage, blaming technical mistakes and a lack of attacking sharpness.
“The players are devastated because we had high ambitions. We were a notch below our usual level technically, facing a team that really had a handle on the game,” Deschamps said.
Spain’s victory continued a remarkable tournament run built around teamwork, creativity and tactical discipline. De la Fuente praised his squad’s commitment, saying the players had consistently shown talent, generosity and determination throughout the competition.
France, despite arriving as one of the tournament favourites with significant squad depth, leave the competition after failing to produce their best performance when it mattered most.
