Three times in a row. Spain beat France 2-0 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal at Arlington, Texas on Tuesday, ending Les Bleus' pursuit of a historic third consecutive World Cup final and booking their own place in the showpiece. One win now stands between Spain and a fourth world title.
France arrived in Arlington carrying the weight of back-to-back final appearances — 2018 winners, 2022 runners-up, and widely considered the tournament's most dangerous side heading into the knockout rounds. The script was written. Spain tore it up.
A 2-0 win — clinical, controlled, comfortable — means Spain have now beaten France in three consecutive meetings. That is not a coincidence. That is a pattern. And for Didier Deschamps' side, it is the end of the road at a World Cup that felt, for long stretches, like it was theirs to lose.
Spain are into the World Cup final. For a generation of players who have already rewritten the record books — La Roja claimed the UEFA Nations League and Euro 2024 in recent years — this is the next chapter. A fourth world title would place them alongside Germany and Italy, and ahead of every other nation except Brazil.
The performance in Arlington was a shutout — France couldn't find a way through. Whether that speaks to Spain's defensive organisation, their control of possession, or simply a France side that ran out of answers, the result is the same: 2-0, and it wasn't particularly close. ESPN FC and BBC Sport both reported the scoreline and Spain's dominance across the ninety minutes.
France have now lost three straight to this Spain side. At some point, that stops being bad luck.
Spain will face the winner of the other semifinal in the World Cup final — the exact date and venue still to be confirmed. For France, the debrief starts now: a squad built around generational talent, a manager with two finals on his CV, and still no win since 2018. The questions will be sharp.
For Spain, there are no questions right now. Just a final.
Three times in a row. Spain beat France 2-0 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal at Arlington, Texas on Tuesday, ending Les Bleus' pursuit of a historic third consecutive World Cup final and booking their own place in…
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ESPN FC
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“Stays on World Cup — different angle, same beat.”
SELECCIONESSpain are in the 2026 World Cup final. France are not. That sentence alone tells you most of what you need to know about where this tournament stands — and The Athletic, re-ranking all 48 teams with t
“Stays on World Cup — different angle, same beat.”
SELECCIONESSpain are in the 2026 World Cup final. France are not. That sentence alone tells you most of what you need to know about where this tournament stands — and The Athletic, re-ranking all 48 teams with t
