FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 : FRANCE VS SPAIN – 14/07/2026 (PHOTO – MIKEL OYARZABAL AND SPAIN CELEBRATE)

FRANCE MADE 408 PASSES, WITH AN 87% PASS ACCURACY, HAD 7 CORNERS, 49% POSSESSION, AND 14 SHOTS WITH 4 ON-TARGET, BUT NO GOALS IN LAST NIGHT’S MATCH AGAINST SPAIN, WHO PUT UP A STRONG DEFENSE. (IT WAS, INDEED, A VERY PHYSICAL MATCH, WITH 11 FOULS ON THE FRENCH SIDE, AND 2 YELLOW CARDS, AND 12 FOULS ON THE SPANISH SIDE, WITH 1 YELLOW CARD – BUT NO REDS FROM THE WISE REF!) SPAIN MADE 487 PASSES, WITH AN 86% PASS ACCURACY, HAD 51% POSSESSION, AND 10 SHOTS WITH 2 ON-TARGET, INCLUDING A CRACKING PENALTY FROM MIKEL OYARZABAL AT 22 MINS., AFTER LUCAS DIGNE WENT FOR THE BALL, BUT DID NOT SEE LAMINE YAMAL BEHIND HIM AND ACCIDENTALLY CAUGHT HIM ON THE KNEE (DEEMED A HIGH BOOT BY THE REF.) WHICH IS WHEN SPAIN WERE AWARDED A PENALTY. (YOU CAN SEE WHY OYARZABAL IS SUCH A GOOD GOAL-SCORER, HIS DEAD-PAN EYES DON’T GIVE AWAY ANY DIRECTION.) BUT ALTHOUGH FRENCH GOALKEEPER MIKE MAIGNAN GUESSED THE CORRECT DIRECTION, OYARAZABAL’S PRECISE STRIKE INTO THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER WAS OUT OF REACH! THE OTHER STUNNING SHOT ON-TARGET CAME FROM PEDRO PORRO AT 58 MINS., WHICH HAD THE SPANISH FANS IN THE DALLAS STADIUM ERUPTING IN CHEERS, DANCE, AND TEARS OF JOY! SO, AFTER 90 MINS. THE MATCH ENDED IN A 2 – 0 WIN TO SPAIN, AND AN END TO A WAIT OF 16 YEARS TO REACH A WORLD CUP FINAL!

WORLD CUP 2026 – FRANCE VS SPAIN – 14/07/2026