{"id":6366,"date":"2026-07-15T04:00:50","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T23:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=6366"},"modified":"2026-07-15T04:00:50","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T23:00:50","slug":"spain-shocks-france-to-advance-to-the-world-cup-final-npr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=6366","title":{"rendered":"Spain shocks France to advance to the World Cup final : NPR"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"storytext\">\n<div id=\"resg-s1-133604\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" 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data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3228x2152+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fff%2F94%2Fe4861c324cbd88d60a306966fa24%2Fgettyimages-2285495729.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1025px) 650px, calc(100vw - 30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3228x2152+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fff%2F94%2Fe4861c324cbd88d60a306966fa24%2Fgettyimages-2285495729.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3228x2152+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fff%2F94%2Fe4861c324cbd88d60a306966fa24%2Fgettyimages-2285495729.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Spain's Pedro Porro celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the World Cup semifinal against France on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                Spain&#8217;s Pedro Porro celebrates scoring his team&#8217;s second goal during the World Cup semifinal against France on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                    Paul Ellis\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><br \/>\n              <svg class=\"icon icon--info\"><use href=\"#icon-info\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n              <b>toggle caption<\/b><br \/>\n            <\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>        Paul Ellis\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Spain is going back to the World Cup final, after defeating France 2-0 in a dominant semifinal performance.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5893692-100\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImageg-s1-133337\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/14\/g-s1-133337\/world-cup-final-france-england-spain-argentina\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.npr.org\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/14\\\/g-s1-133337\\\/world-cup-final-france-england-spain-argentina&quot;}\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2205x2205+366+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd1%2Fbd%2Fd492f80d4c18b2dd3f237119b588%2Fgettyimages-2285905571.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2205x2205+366+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd1%2Fbd%2Fd492f80d4c18b2dd3f237119b588%2Fgettyimages-2285905571.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2205x2205+366+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd1%2Fbd%2Fd492f80d4c18b2dd3f237119b588%2Fgettyimages-2285905571.jpg\" data-format=\"webp\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2205x2205+366+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd1%2Fbd%2Fd492f80d4c18b2dd3f237119b588%2Fgettyimages-2285905571.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2205x2205+366+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd1%2Fbd%2Fd492f80d4c18b2dd3f237119b588%2Fgettyimages-2285905571.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2205x2205+366+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd1%2Fbd%2Fd492f80d4c18b2dd3f237119b588%2Fgettyimages-2285905571.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2205x2205+366+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd1%2Fbd%2Fd492f80d4c18b2dd3f237119b588%2Fgettyimages-2285905571.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2205x2205+366+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd1%2Fbd%2Fd492f80d4c18b2dd3f237119b588%2Fgettyimages-2285905571.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina is thrown in the air by teammates after the 3-2 victory during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium on July 07, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/a>         <\/p>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5893692-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>It was a tough end for France, which had entered this tournament as a favorite, after winning the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2018\/07\/15\/629245670\/france-wins-world-cup\" target=\"_blank\">2018 World Cup<\/a> and losing to Argentina in the 2022 final. But France had no match for Spain, which has only allowed one goal this World Cup \u2014 and has not been beaten in two years (a 37-game streak: 28W &#8211; 9D &#8211; 0L).<\/p>\n<p>In fact, neither team had trailed in this World Cup until a Spanish penalty kick in the 21st minute put them up 1-0. Spain got another goal in the 58th minute to seal the victory. and managed to stifle the stellar French attacking trio of Kylian Mbapp\u00e9, Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9 and Michael Olise. Mbapp\u00e9 had entered the game as the tournament leader in the Golden Boot race (8 goals and 3 assists, just ahead of Argentina&#8217;s Lionel Messi with 8 goals and 2 assists).<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-backstage-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap backstage\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Spain, the reigning European champion and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/showmeyourcleats\/2010\/07\/11\/128448865\/rough-and-tense\" target=\"_blank\">2010 World Cup winner<\/a>, enters Sunday&#8217;s final on a high note and will play the winner of Wednesday&#8217;s semifinal between Argentina and England.<\/p>\n<p>France will have one more game to play, the third-place match against the losing team of the other semifinal on Saturday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spain&#8217;s Pedro Porro celebrates scoring his team&#8217;s second goal during the World Cup semifinal against France on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. Paul Ellis\/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Paul Ellis\/AFP via Getty Images Spain is going back to the World Cup final, after defeating France 2-0 in a dominant semifinal performance. It was&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6367,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3228x1816+0+0\/resize\/1400\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fff%2F94%2Fe4861c324cbd88d60a306966fa24%2Fgettyimages-2285495729.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6366"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6366\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}