ARLINGTON, Texas — France entered the World Cup semi-finals as one of the tournament’s most hyped sides, but any illusions about their dominance were shattered Tuesday evening when Spain handed them a decisive 2-0 defeat, ending their World Cup run in stunning fashion.
The performance drew uncomfortable comparisons to France’s opening hour in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina, when they were equally flat and ineffective. On that occasion, they mounted a dramatic comeback, pushed the match to a penalty shootout, and left with their heads held high after contributing to one of the most memorable finals in tournament history.
Tuesday offered no such redemption. Spain put on a clinic, and France could do little but watch helplessly as the match slipped away from them.
“The players are devastated, but we have to be clear-headed: technically, we were second best. That is on us,” said France coach Didier Deschamps following the final whistle.
Those who had picked France as favorites appeared to have badly misjudged the balance of power — and so, it seemed, had the French players themselves.
“We knew their main strength was their ability to play at a false tempo (slow the game down). At times, we should have done the same. It was more difficult than we expected,” said France second-half substitute Rayan Cherki.
Spain’s confidence was on full display even before kickoff. Lamine Yamal, with the boldness only a teenager could muster, had declared that it was France who should be feeling the pressure — and his team backed up every word of it on the pitch.
OLISE AT THE CENTER OF FRANCE’S STRUGGLES
If one player came to symbolize France’s collapse, it was Michael Olise. Entering the tournament with considerable buzz and even mentions in the Ballon d’Or conversation, Olise was touted as a creative force capable of unlocking any defense. Instead, he looked completely out of his depth on the Dallas Stadium pitch.
Unable to find space or inspiration, Olise gave the ball away 20 times and failed to complete a single dribble. He was thoroughly dominated by Rodri, who ran the midfield with commanding authority and precision.
Still, Olise was far from alone in his struggles. Ousmane Dembele offered almost nothing going forward, and neither Bradley Barcola nor his replacement Desire Doue could generate any meaningful threat. France’s much-praised attacking unit looked strangely toothless from start to finish.
Kylian Mbappe, expected to be the match-winner, never produced the moment of brilliance France needed. In a telling sign of the afternoon’s mood, the biggest crowd reaction came not from any French attack, but when David and Victoria Beckham appeared on the stadium’s giant screen.
DEFENSIVE BREAKDOWNS PROVE COSTLY
France’s troubles weren’t limited to attack. Their midfield was overwhelmed early, with Adrien Rabiot picking up a yellow card in the opening stages that forced him to rein in his physicality. Meanwhile, Aurelien Tchouameni, returning from a hamstring injury that had kept him out of the previous two matches, lacked the sharpness and fitness needed to match Spain’s pace in the middle of the park.
With the midfield overrun, France’s defense was left exposed. Two costly errors were punished — first when Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty in the 22nd minute, and again just before the hour mark when Pedro Porro added a second goal to seal Spain’s place in the final.
When the final whistle sounded, the scene on the pitch told the whole story. Mbappe stood alone, motionless. Some of his teammates dropped to their knees, while others buried their faces in their hands. All the pre-match talk of team unity and togetherness suddenly felt hollow and distant.
