The 2-0 victory sends La Roja back to the final for the first time since 2010, when it won the country’s only World Cup title.
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For the first time in 16 years, Spain is headed to the World Cup final, carried by a new generation that has restored La Roja to the sport’s biggest stage.
Spain beat France, 2-0, in Tuesday’s semifinal in Arlington, Texas, knocking out perhaps the tournament’s best player, Kylian Mbappé, and one of the defining powers of modern World Cup soccer. The victory sends Spain back to the final for the first time since 2010, when it won the country’s only World Cup title and completed one of the most celebrated eras in international soccer history.
Mikel Oyarzabal converted a first-half penalty for Spain after Lucas Digne collided with Lamine Yamal inside the box in the match. It was Oyarzabal’s fifth goal of the tournament. Pedro Porro booted in a second goal in the 58th minute to give La Roja some second-half breathing room.
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This Spanish team, stationed at perhaps the best appointed Embassy Suites in the world, has built a different kind of run, less tied to the old golden generation than to a new wave that has restored Spain’s place among the sport’s elite. On Tuesday, Spain posted its sixth clean sheet of the tournament and held off a French team that had cruised through this tournament and was trying to become the first men’s team since Brazil in 2002 to reach three straight World Cup finals.
Spain will face the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal matchup, between Argentina and England, on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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