Les Bleus are Les Miserables! Incredible Spain put France to the sword in a tactical masterpiece

France were dominant, ruthless, dazzling, unstoppable and predicted to go all the way - and then came Spain! Luis de la Fuente's men destroyed this giant, this colossus, this, until tonight, most powerful World Cup side in an incredible, almost unprecedented fashion (2-0) to book their spot in the WC showdown!

Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro lit up the scoreboard in a resounding victory on Tuesday night, sending the crowd into a chorus of 'ole' chants. The 2018 FIFA World Cup winners and 2022 runners-up looked utterly outclassed, as Kylian Mbappe and his teammates failed to muster any real resistance in a match that promised fireworks but delivered a masterclass in dominance. What should have been a thrilling contest turned into a showcase of one-sided brilliance.

Unravelling what truly happened to France will demand patience and deep analysis, as this match took a turn no one saw coming. Their struggles went beyond a lack of energy or flawed tactics; they simply never rose to challenge their rivals. From the first whistle to the last, France failed to make a mark and now watches the WC final from the sidelines.

Until tonight, the mighty Les Bleus had swept through every World Cup match with ease, but in Dallas, they were left marooned from the very first whistle. La Roja’s midfield, orchestrated by the unstoppable Rodri, seized control and squeezed the life out of France’s attack, shrinking the space for Barcola and Dembele and leaving Mbappe isolated and invisible. The Golden Boot hopeful was suffocated, denied both time and the ball to showcase his brilliance.

Meanwhile, De la Fuente’s squad hardly dazzled up front, but the game’s turning point arrived from the penalty spot after a glaring blunder by Lucas Digne. The French left-back, oblivious to Lamine Yamal’s stealthy approach, tried to clear the danger but instead clattered into Spain’s young star, gifting a clear-cut penalty. The referee barely needed a second look.

Mikel Oyarzabal fired it superbly to beat Mike Maignan and score his fifth goal of the tournament, more than any other La Roja player.

We braced for a swift French reply. Instead, Deschamps’ men looked like ghosts of their former selves, unable to adapt to the unfamiliar territory of trailing for the first time all tournament.

As if things weren’t bleak enough, William Saliba limped off with a leg injury, forcing Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix to step in alongside Dayot Upamecano at the heart of France’s defence.

Amazingly, Les Bleus failed to register a single shot on target in the first half, though they did carve out one golden opportunity from distance. Only the quick thinking and perfect timing of Unai Simon, racing out of his area, denied Mbappe a flash of brilliance as he sped past Pau Cubarsi and broke free. Simon’s intervention made it clear: Mbappe would have to fight for every inch tonight.

Deschamps did his best to shake things up a bit during the half-time interval, leaving Rabiot in the locker room, then taking off Barcola around the hour mark. Doue and Kone were sent on a special mission to restore the balance in midfield, but instead, we witnessed a three-piece kick in the gut. Pedro Porro executed a perfect one-two with Dani Olmo, as the former found himself with all the space and time in the world in the rival's box to drive another nail into the French coffin, 2-0!

The European champions unleashed a relentless downpour, seizing every weakness in the French defence. Yamal dazzled with a signature sprint down the right, curling a beautiful shot into the far corner, only for the celebration to be cut short by an obvious offside.

The last hydration break was France's last chance at a resurrection, as Deschamps sent on Rayan Cherki and Theo Hernandez for the final push in this traumatic chess party. Michael Olise left the pitch without registering a single move, shot or pass worth praise for almost 75 minutes, which is one of the key reasons for France's abysmal performance in what should have been their best outing so far.

Their last glimmer of hope flickered in the memory of that Qatar final against Argentina, when they clawed their way back from two goals down to force extra time. But four years on, there was no miracle for Mbappe and his teammates. They could not pierce their rivals' armour. Spain played with breathtaking precision, gliding to victory and sending a thunderous warning before the biggest match of their lives. No matter who emerges from the Argentina-England semi-final, both will lie awake after witnessing France unravel so completely, left in despair. Spain now seems poised to reshape the football world.

WORLD CUP - KNOCKOUT STAGE

Semi-finals

Tuesday

France - Spain 0-2 (0-1)

/Oyarzabal 22 pen, Porro 58/

Wednesday

22.00: (2.55) England (3.10) Argentina (3.15)

***odds are subject to change***