Kylian Mbappé had never experienced World Cup heartbreak.
World champion in 2018. Finalist in 2022. Unbeaten in every World Cup knockout match he had played.
Until Spain happened.
Luis de la Fuente’s side
produced a clinical 2-0 victory over France to book their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, ending one of the tournament’s greatest unbeaten runs and sending Mbappé crashing out of a World Cup for the very first time.
While Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro got the goals, the night also marked another chapter in the growing rivalry between Mbappé and Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.
The pair met on the World Cup stage for the first time, and once again it was Yamal who walked away smiling.
Spain’s 19-year-old winger may not have grabbed the headlines with a goal, but his direct running constantly stretched France’s defence. It was Yamal who won the penalty that allowed Oyarzabal to open the scoring, while Lucas Digne endured another difficult evening trying to contain him.
The result continues a remarkable trend. Yamal has now won nine of his 12 career meetings against Mbappé across club and international football, with Barcelona and Spain repeatedly getting the better of the Real Madrid superstar.
Mbappé arrived in the semifinal level with Lionel Messi on eight goals in the Golden Boot race and as the second-highest scorer in men’s World Cup history. But Spain’s disciplined high line repeatedly caught him offside, while Unai Simón’s aggressive goalkeeping snuffed out the few dangerous moments France managed to create.
Pedro Porro’s thunderous second-half strike put the result beyond doubt as Spain comfortably advanced to their first World Cup final since 2010.
