I don’t think that anyone saw that coming. Sure, I did predict Spain to advance. But never in my wildest imaginings did I think it would have been that easy.
France were a shadow of the side that has left footballing pundits grasping for superlatives over the last few weeks. Their much-vaunted front-three barely got out of first gear, suffocated by a frenetic, resilient Spanish unit. Luis de la Fuente’s side were magnificent, giving the best performance to date at this year’s tournament. They echoed Del Bosque’s 2010 World Cup-winning side by strangling the life out of the game with incredible ball retention. In the process, they equalled Italy’s record of 38 successive matches without defeat in international football. Let’s look at some of the key takeaways from last night’s strangely subdued semifinal.
France wave the white flag in midfield
You could have easily been forgiven for thinking that France’s esteemed forward line- Mbappe, Dembelle, Olise- had gone on strike last night. What on earth happened? Olise had one or two nice early touches before transforming into Pepe- of Arsenal infamy- in front of our very eyes. Dembelle was anonymous while Kylian Mbappe (Mr. World Cup) kept on running down dead ends. I personally think the real issues started further back. Didier Deschamps- the old salty dog that he is- clearly knew that his side would likely cede large chunks of possession to Spain’s keep-ball machine. But why did he drop Manu Kone to the bench if that was the case? Kone can quickly bridge the gap between defence and attack, allowing for the type of incisive counterattacks that have been Les Bleus’ MO. Tchouameni and Rabiot are just too static a combination in a game that required quick, penetrating midfield play. Or why not switch to a midfield three when you are getting clearly overrun in midfield. Barcola was a passenger all night and could have easily been sacrificed for some more midfield presence.
Defensive drama
The injury to William Saliba was clearly a massive moment in the game (and one that must have left Arsenal fans hyperventilating). But in all honesty, they were already 1-0 down and in danger of being overrun. The midfield wasn’t doing enough to keep Rodri and Olmo off the ball while Digne was being casually demolished by Yamal on that left-hand side. And I don’t even really blame Digne for the penalty. It was just one of those fast-paced, in-game moments where a player doesn’t know what’s happening around him. But beyond that, Digne just couldn’t get to grips with Yamal’s dynamic footwork. He was so busy trying to solve that conundrum that he couldn’t provide any support going forward. All in all, this was a slightly sad end to Didier Deschamps’ highly-decorated reign as France manager. Perhaps he fell victim to the hype-machine, ignoring midfield deficiencies while putting too much faith into their bevy of attacking talent.
Spain reach 2nd World Cup final
Spain were at their vintage best last night, with Rodri and Fabian Ruiz working in tandem to produce a midfield showing that Xaviesta would have been proud of. Rodri was a man-mountain in that holding role, breaking down everything while also acting as the metronome for the team. I would be worried if I were a Man City fan (it looked like he is twerking for a big Real Madrid move). Dani Olmo was also in inspired form, creating numerous chances with his unconventional vision (that audacious assist for Pedro Porro basically put the game to bed).
The tale of the tortoise and the hare
Spain’s progression through the tournament should serve as a cautionary table for overzealous punditry. How many people dubbed France unbeatable in recent weeks? It’s very rare for a team to maintain that kind of magnetic momentum. Spain started the tournament in fairly ignominious fashion, drawing 0-0 with tournament darlings Capo Verde. But La Roja grew into the tournament organically, with Rodri looking more and more like his former Ballon d’Or-winning self with every passing game. There were also plenty of question marks about Spain’s defence leading into this tournament (Laporte plies his trade in Saudi while Cucurella and Porro never covered themselves in glory at club level last season). But they have been extremely organized thus far, conceding just the one goal against Belgium. And they shackled France in almost unbelievable fashion, restricting the Harlem Globetrotters of international football to an xG of just 0.30.
Final Words
Spain will go into Sunday’s final looking to make it 2-for-2 on football’s biggest stage. France will be preparing for football’s greatest damp squib (the 3rd and 4th playoff match). Kylian Mbappe may still have something to play for as he is currently tied with Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot Race. But one thing will remain true whether he wins the coveted individual trophy or not: Kylian Mbappe will not have won a trophy- for club or country- for nearly two years after this tournament. The French superstar is starting to feel cursed.
