Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
France vs Spain ended in a 2-0 victory for the Spanish national team at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday, sending Luis de la Fuente’s side into the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. Mikel Oyarzabal scored from the penalty spot before Pedro Porro added the second goal.
The overall numbers show a close contest in possession and shooting volume. Spain held slightly more of the ball and created better scoring opportunities, while France led several attacking categories without finding the net.
Attention now turns to the other semifinal, where Thomas Tuchel says England are ready for Argentina’s historic edge.
France vs Spain Match Statistics
The table below uses shots on target for attempts on goal.
Match statistic | France | Spain | Better team |
|---|---|---|---|
Ball possession | 49.1% | 50.9% | Spain |
Total shots | 10 | 10 | Even |
Shots on target | 3 | 2 | France |
Shots off target | 5 | 5 | Even |
Chances created | 6 | 7 | Spain |
Big chances | 0 | 3 | Spain |
Shots inside the box | 4 | 5 | Spain |
Attempted passes | 472 | 502 | Spain |
Accurate passes | 395 | 427 | Spain |
Passing accuracy | 83.7% | 85.1% | Spain |
Penalty-area touches | 19 | 13 | France |
Corners | 7 | 1 | France |
Attempted crosses | 20 | 7 | France |
Accurate crosses | 4 | 1 | France |
Goalkeeper saves | 0 | 3 | Spain |
The possession, passing and shooting figures are available in the Sky Sports match statistics. FIFA’s official match report confirms the result and goalscorers.
Which Team Had More Possession?
Spain held 50.9% possession, compared with 49.1% for France. The difference was only 1.8 percentage points, meaning the Spanish national team did not control the match simply by keeping the ball for much longer.
Passing numbers provide a clearer picture. Spain attempted 502 passes and completed 427, while France completed 395 of its 472 attempts.
Spain also recorded 85.1% passing accuracy, compared with 83.7% for France. Rodri Hernández, Fabián Ruiz and Dani Olmo circulated the ball patiently and helped Spain dictate where much of the game was played.
Dani Olmo frequently dropped into midfield to create a three-against-two advantage. France struggled to decide whether a defender should follow him or remain in position.
Which Team Had More Shot Attempts?
Both teams attempted 10 shots, with five efforts each finishing off target. France placed three attempts on goal, while Spain managed two.
France therefore led the shots-on-target category, but Spain scored with both of its accurate attempts. Unai Simón saved all three French efforts, while Mike Maignan did not make a save.
The numbers show the difference between testing a goalkeeper and producing a high-level scoring opportunity. France found the target more often, but Spain’s finishing situations were far stronger.
Who Created More Chances?
Spain created seven chances, one more than France. The larger difference came in big chances, with Spain producing three and France recording none.
Spain also took five shots from inside the penalty area, compared with four for France. Those figures support what happened during the two goals.
Lamine Yamal drew a foul from Lucas Digne to win the first-half penalty converted by Mikel Oyarzabal. Pedro Porro then exchanged passes with Dani Olmo before completing a well-timed run and scoring after 58 minutes.
Spain moved France’s defensive shape before attacking the available space. Its chances arrived through planned combinations rather than hopeful efforts from difficult positions.
Why France’s Attacking Numbers Misled
France recorded 19 penalty-area touches to Spain’s 13 and won seven corners to Spain’s one. Didier Deschamps’ side also attempted 20 crosses, compared with only seven from Spain.
However, only four French crosses reached a teammate. Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise rarely received clean service in central scoring areas.
Spain allowed France to enter wide positions before defending the penalty area with numbers. France therefore produced plenty of attacking activity without creating a big chance.
Final Verdict
Spain held more possession and completed more passes, but its advantage was narrow. Total shots were level, while France actually produced one more attempt on goal.
Spain was still the better attacking team because it created seven chances, three big chances and the only two goals. France generated more corners, crosses and penalty-area touches, but those attacks lacked the same scoring threat.
The match was decided by the purpose behind each attack. Spain used slightly more possession to create far better opportunities, while France’s higher activity in wide areas delivered no reward.