France’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive FIFA World Cup final came to an end on Tuesday after a 2-0 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals.
Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal in the opening half and Pedro Porro after the break secured Spain’s place in the final, while ending France’s impressive run in the competition.
The defeat also denied Didier Deschamps’ side the opportunity to equal a long-standing World Cup record.
Brazil and Germany remain alone in history
Had France progressed to the final, they would have become only the third nation to reach three successive FIFA World Cup finals.
That achievement remains exclusive to Brazil and Germany.
Germany reached three consecutive finals between 1982 and 1990, while Brazil matched the feat by appearing in the finals of the 1994, 1998 and 2002 tournaments.
France’s impressive World Cup run ends
France lifted the World Cup trophy in Russia in 2018 after defeating Croatia 4-2 in the final.
Four years later, Les Bleus returned to the final in Qatar but finished runners-up after losing to Argentina in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Their 2026 campaign, however, ended in the last four as Spain produced a disciplined display to book a place in the tournament’s final.
Despite the disappointment, France remain one of the most consistent teams in international football after reaching the latter stages of three consecutive World Cups.