Spain delivered a stunning comeback to defeat France 2-1, securing their place in the UEFA European Championship 2024 final and maintaining their perfect record in this tournament.
Les Bleus, struggling to score from open play in their last 480 minutes of the Euros, broke the drought quickly. Within nine minutes, Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani clinically converted a cross from Kylian Mbappé. Mbappé, now free of his protective mask, posed a constant threat, particularly against the experienced Jesús Navas, who received a yellow card just 14 minutes into the match.
Spain, however, responded with youthful brilliance. The youngest player in a Euro or World Cup semi-final, Lamine Yamal, showcased his talent by evading Adrien Rabiot and curling a spectacular strike in off the far post. Four minutes later, Dani Olmo found space in the box and fired a shot that deflected off Jules Koundé and into the net, giving Spain the lead. Before halftime, Spain continued to press, with Fabián Ruiz and Yamal both seeing efforts deflected behind.
The second half saw France initially stretched, with goalkeeper Mike Maignan rushing out to thwart Nico Williams. France had their chances too, with Mbappé’s tight-angle shot saved and Jesús Navas forced off due to injury. Didier Deschamps then opted for an attacking triple substitution around the hour mark, seeking to change the game’s momentum. However, frustration continued as Théo Hernández and Ousmane Dembélé failed to capitalize on Spanish errors.
Yamal nearly extended Spain’s lead, but his effort narrowly missed. In the dying moments, Mbappé uncharacteristically blasted a shot over the bar, and Antoine Griezmann’s header also went high, as Spain comfortably saw out the match to clinch their spot in the final.
Spain’s journey to the final in Berlin is marked by confidence and dominance. They have won their last eight matches and all of their games in this tournament, aiming for their fourth European Championship title. In contrast, France suffered their first defeat in 13 competitive matches since the World Cup final.
