Spain have advanced to the 2026 World Cup final following an emphatic 2-0 triumph over France on Tuesday night. A first-half penalty from Mikel Oyarzabal and a composed finish from Pedro Porro after the interval sealed the victory for La Roja in Dallas, a performance that will have served as a warning to both England and Argentina ahead of their semi-final clash.

From the opening minutes, Spain controlled possession and dictated the tempo. Their dominance paid off midway through the first half when Lamine Yamal was brought down inside the French penalty box by Lucas Digne, allowing Oyarzabal to confidently convert from the spot. La Roja nearly extended their lead soon after, with Fabian Ruiz’s attempt being blocked following a slick passing move involving Yamal and Dani Olmo.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Spain continuing to press. Their efforts were rewarded when Porro exchanged passes with Olmo on the edge of the area before slotting home past Mike Maignan with precision.

Yamal thought he had added a third after a dazzling run and curled finish into the top corner, but the youngster’s celebrations were cut short by an offside call.

France tried to force their way back into the contest, but aside from a few off-target attempts from Kylian Mbappe, they struggled to create clear chances and never truly threatened a late comeback.

Here are the player ratings from Spain’s commanding performance in Dallas:

Goalkeeper & Defence

Unai Simon (7/10): Rarely tested throughout the match but showed excellent anticipation when rushing off his line to deny Mbappe a potential one-on-one opportunity in the first half.

Pedro Porro (8/10): Endured a few nervy moments against Barcola early on but grew in confidence as the match progressed. Balanced his defensive duties well and demonstrated great composure to score Spain’s second goal.

Pau Cubarsi (9/10): Outstanding reading of the game, making crucial blocks and interceptions around the box. Displayed impressive ball control and dribbling skills during a superb all-round performance.

Aymeric Laporte (8/10): Used his experience wisely to organise the Spanish defence against his birth nation. Combined strength and composure effectively throughout.

Marc Cucurella (8/10): Recovered well after being booked early on and successfully contained both Olise and Dembele. Decision-making was excellent from Real Madrid’s new left-back.

Midfield

Fabian Ruiz (7/10): Linked play well in midfield, even though a few risky passes didn’t pay off. Might have added to the scoreline but was denied by Upamecano’s block in the first half.

Rodri (9/10): Another masterful performance from the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner. Controlled the tempo, won key duels, and orchestrated Spain’s play with precision.

Dani Olmo (9/10): Excelled in tight spaces, driving forward with skill and confidence. Provided a delicate assist for the second goal and was a constant creative force.

Attack

Lamine Yamal (8/10): Clever play to win the penalty, consistently tormenting Digne on the flank. Unlucky to have his goal ruled out for a marginal offside.

Mikel Oyarzabal (8/10): Though not heavily involved throughout, his penalty was dispatched with authority. Dropped deep at times to link play and initiate attacks with neat touches.

Alex Baena (6/10): Worked hard down the left but lacked end product in the attacking third.

Substitutes & Manager

Ferran Torres (5/10): Missed a good chance to make it 3-0, heading wide after replacing Oyarzabal.

Mikel Merino (6/10): Introduced late on and didn’t need to produce any heroics this time as Spain were already in control.

Pedri (6/10): Showed flashes of his dribbling ability in a short cameo appearance.

Marcos Llorente (N/A): Came on for Porro to help see out the closing minutes.

Nico Williams (N/A): Provided energy on the left flank after replacing Baena.

Luis de la Fuente (9/10): Oversaw a near-perfect performance from his side, who outclassed one of the tournament favourites. His tactical approach maximised the potential of Spain’s talented squad, ensuring another commanding display on the biggest stage.