Spain’s Dominance Over France in World Cup Semifinal
ARLINGTON, Texas — Well, it seems like we just missed the mark in pretty much every aspect during this tournament. Instead of focusing on France’s usual firepower, Spain’s midfield truly shined. This World Cup appears more about Rodri than Kylian Mbappé, and frankly, Spain’s path to the championship looks pretty solid after this performance.
After Spain’s impressive 2-0 win over France on Bastille Day in Dallas, it’s hard to argue against that. Luis de la Fuente’s team dominated the match, and the visual spectacle in Cowboys Stadium was impossible to ignore. A notable image showed Spanish legends like Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos taking it all in from the stands.
“Our message was that we were up against one of the best national teams globally,” de la Fuente remarked. “However, they encountered the top team and group overall.”
You can’t help but feel that, since the World Cup in South Africa, this Spanish squad has exuded an aura of inevitability. Remarkably, Unai Simon wasn’t even tested in goal.
Coach Lamine Yamal expressed that Spain had no fear of their opponent, while players like Mbappé and Dembele seemed quite anxious as the match progressed. France coach Didier Deschamps, who relied on a four-forward strategy throughout the tournament, faced a real headache—Spain effectively leveraged their numerical midfield advantage. Surprisingly, he didn’t make any changes to address this.
“We knew possession was going to be key for us,” said Pedro Polo. “It feels great to take on their strikers.”
Players like Fabian Ruiz, Dani Olmo, and Rodri—who, despite being a Ballon d’Or winner, somehow isn’t viewed as a superstar—struggled throughout, yet Spain maintained control.
“I’ve said before that questioning Rodri is a disservice to our football intelligence, and time has shown I was right,” de la Fuente noted. “He is crucial to our playing style.”
“Rodri is the backbone of our midfield. He excels at reading the game, making passes, and his minimal touches are impressive. Defensively, he’s vital to our philosophy, and we’re fortunate to have him.”
Spain controlled the midfield, overwhelming France. Oliseh, a standout player, seemed outmatched. The French midfield duo, Rabiot and Chouameni, struggled to find their rhythm, and even bringing Manu Kone on at half-time didn’t shift the momentum.
Interestingly, Spain became the first team ever to achieve six clean sheets in a World Cup. Statistically, they restricted France to a mere 0.3 expected goals, marking their lowest in a semifinal since 1994.
Spain’s Aymeric Laporte and young Pau Kvarsi proved to be an exceptional center-back pairing, complemented by full-backs like Marc Cucurella and Pedro Polo. Polo’s connection with Olmo led to Spain’s second goal, nearly sealing the match just 58 minutes in.
“This team truly understands every phase of the game,” de la Fuente emphasized.
Amid discussions about Yamal’s goal drought and his choices earlier in the tournament, it seems the larger narrative is being missed. The 0-0 draw against Cape Verde was unfortunate, but maybe Cape Verde should have prepped their goalkeeper a bit better.
Although Yamal’s stats—one goal and zero assists—might raise eyebrows, it’s essential to acknowledge his overall contribution. He earned a penalty for Mikel Oyarzabal, had a disallowed goal, and left Lucas Digne scrambling. But these stats neglect the essence of Spain as a footballing nation.
“The most crucial aspect is the team,” de la Fuente stated. “That’s the essence of our understanding.”
Now, this team looks ready to secure the World Cup in East Rutherford on Sunday.
“When you face a team like us, we’re tough to beat,” de la Fuente noted. “And that’s the mindset we have right now.”
