Coach Luis de la Fuente Declares Spain 'Unbeatable' After Toppling France
Newsweek · C · trust 41/100
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Spain just delivered their biggest win of the 2026 FIFA World Cup , beating tournament favorites France 2-0 on Tuesday night in Dallas.
Mikel Oyarzabal put Spain ahead in the 22nd minute from the penalty spot after France's Lucas Digne was penalized for inadvertently kicking Lamine Yamal in the box. Pedro Porro scored another goal in the 58th minute off a slick one-two with Dani Olmo before putting it just past goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
Spain dominated for the majority of the game and kept France's Kylian Mbappe in check entirely. It marked the sixth straight game in which Spain hasn't allowed a single goal, a World Cup record . They've allowed just one goal all tournament.
After the match, head coach Luis de la Fuente was brimming with confidence.
"We had no doubt that by being ourselves, we were going to do a lot of damage to France," he told reporters . "The message was that we were facing one of the best national teams in the world, but they were up against the best team in the world. And that's the key. We are a team, and when you're facing a team like us, then we're unbeatable. And that's how we feel right now."
De la Fuente joined Spain's national team coaching staff in 2013, working his way up through the youth setups before taking charge of the senior side in 2022. Tuesday's win over France marked the sixth time in his career he's faced Les Bleus in a semifinal, across the Under 19s, Under 21s, and senior levels. He now holds five wins and just one loss against them.
As for Spain's final opponent, the second semifinal pits England against Argentina and will be played in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday. Argentina are the defending champions, having won in Qatar 2022, while England hasn't won any major tournament since 1966, when they hosted the World Cup.
Whichever team survives that matchup will face a Spain side that looks sharp and more confident than ever. "We welcome either of them with open arms," de la Fuente said .
The final will be played on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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