The World Cup final before the final? Spain made France look like a training exercise

France came into Tuesday’s semi-final in Dallas as the most prolific team at the tournament: 16 goals in six games, a squad containing Mbappe, Dembele and Olise and a momentum that had swept everything in front of it.

Then Spain introduced them to a system so suffocating, so technically immaculate, that France did not manage a single shot on target until the 80th minute.

It was not the final before the final. It was a masterclass, as expected, at the World Cup.

Lamine Yamal’s penalty earned, Porro’s finish and France leave disappointed

Lamine Yamal, celebrating his 19th birthday the day before, got to the ball ahead of Lucas Digne inside the box and was clipped. Mikel Oyarzabal dispatched the resulting penalty past Mike Maignan in the 22nd minute, and moments after the goal, William Saliba was forced off.

That was a major blow for France’s structure that further unravelled their defensive plan. Then, in the 58th minute, Pedro Porro played a perfect one-two with Dani Olmo and buried the return into the bottom corner. Game over, thank you for coming Mbappe and co.

France entered the match having scored 16 goals in six games. Spain’s defence restricted them to 0.3 xG from 10 shots, three of which were on target. Kylian Mbappe, joint Golden Boot leader with eight goals, found little room to operate. Spain stripped him of any space.

Unai Simon was barely troubled. Spain’s defensive record across the tournament now stands at one goal conceded in seven games. They have not trailed in any of them.

La Roja are simply the best team at the World Cup

Spain will face either England or Argentina in Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey: their first World Cup final since lifting the trophy in 2010. The parallels with that campaign are striking. A dominant defensive structure, an attacker causing chaos.

Yamal now occupying the role David Villa & Fernando Torres shared then, and a team that wins without needing to be brilliant because the system is better than everyone else’s. France, the 2018 champions & 2022 runners-up, could not pass their first elite test of the tournament.

Spain navigated it effortlessly. They have six consecutive wins since the Cape Verde draw. It’s the most convincing sustained run of form at this World Cup. On Sunday, one of football’s most storied rivalries, England or Messi’s Argentina, awaits. Spain will be ready for either.