Spain stun France 2-0 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals, Yamal's perfect 19th birthday gift
Betting markets had overwhelmingly backed France to reach the final, with the two-time champions arriving on the back of six straight wins and a scintillating attacking run built around Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele.
France had allowed only two goals across their first six games of the tournament, making Tuesday's result their heaviest World Cup defeat since 2010.
Instead, Spain produced an emphatic, controlled performance, dominating a France side that struggled to get its wealth of attacking talent involved throughout the match.
Yamal's birthday wish comes true
Lamine Yamal had turned 19 the day before the match, marking his birthday by wearing a jewel-encrusted necklace to his pre-match press conference, and told reporters the only gift he really wanted was a place in the World Cup final.
The Barcelona teenager had earlier raised eyebrows by saying France, not Spain, should be the ones feeling afraid heading into the semi-final.
Those words proved true, as Yamal's smart, heady play against veteran French defender Lucas Digne won the penalty that put Spain ahead in just the 22nd minute. Though he did not find the net himself, Yamal tormented Digne throughout the match and produced several standout moments that made the occasion a memorable one on his birthday weekend.
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A third straight win over France
The victory marked the third consecutive summer that Spain has beaten France in a major tournament semi-final, following a 2-1 win at Euro 2024 and a 5-4 thriller in last year's Nations League semi-final.
Spain's unbeaten run in regular time has now stretched to 37 matches since March 2024, with goalkeeper Unai Simon recording six shutouts in seven games this tournament.
Spain will face the winner of Wednesday's semi-final between defending champions Argentina and England in Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium. France, meanwhile, will play in the third-place match in Miami Gardens on Saturday after missing out on a third consecutive World Cup final.
