The preview of the World Cup semifinal between Spain and France has been surrounded by the last two precedents favoring the Spaniards, with special prominence of Lamine Yamal against Kylian Mbappé, but the history of the clashes between La Roja and Les Bleus goes much further back with more encouraging chapters for the French.
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The victories of Luis de la Fuente’s team in the Euro 2024 semifinal (2-1), with that great goal by Lamine Yamal, and in the 2025 UEFA Nations League semifinal (5-4), again with the starring role of the Barça star, who scored a double, have created some unease in an all-powerful France that has so far dominated the national team tournament.
The two teams have met in seven knockout rounds with four French wins
However, the truth is that until the last Euro, the French team had eliminated the Spaniards in four of the last five direct knockout rounds. The two countries have faced each other 38 times, with 18 Spanish wins to 13 French, but if we talk about official matches, a total of 12, the French have six wins to La Roja’s four.
Mbappé and a controversial offside view (2021)
The last French joy dates back to October 10, 2021, when the team led by Didier Deschamps became champions of the second edition of the UEFA Nations League after beating Luis Enrique’s side with a controversial goal by Mbappé (1-2). The goal was preceded by a slight touch, while trying to clear, by Eric Garcia, which, according to the current rule, broke the forward’s offside. After that match, the controversial rule was changed.
The best Spain eliminates France for the first time (2012)
Almost ten years earlier, in the summer of 2012, the best generation of La Roja eliminated the French for the first time from a competition: Xabi Alonso secured the pass with two goals in the Euro quarterfinals (2-0), which Spain went on to win after thrashing Italy in the final. Before that victory, the first three knockout duels between the two teams favored France.
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The only precedent in a World Cup was ‘bleu’ colored (2006)
The only encounter between Spaniards and French to date in a World Cup took place in the 2006 edition. That French team arrived in the round of 16 with many doubts, after finishing second in their group behind Switzerland and with only one previous win against weak Togo, but against Spain, which came in flying with a full set of wins and only one goal conceded, they were superior. The team led by Raymond Domenech came back in the final minutes from Villa’s initial penalty goal, with a goal from Vieira preceded by a non-existent foul on Puyol, and sealed qualification in added time with Zidane (1-3). The French star later ruined the final for the French with the famous headbutt on Materazzi.
Raúl did not carry the team (2000)
The Euro 2000 started for Spain with a mantra: Raúl carries the team. The Real Madrid star had been established, by trajectory and status, as the great standard-bearer of the national team for the continental event, but when the decisive moment came, he failed. La Roja was losing to France in the quarterfinals of the tournament and in the 90th minute, after a dubious foul by Barthez on Abelardo in the area, the ‘7’ prepared to take the penalty that could force extra time. The ball and Spanish hopes went well over the crossbar (1-2). France ended up winning their second European title.
Arconada and the first official France-Spain match (1984)
The first official match between France and Spain, after 19 friendlies since 1922, is also the most decisive in the intertwined history of both teams. It was the final of the 1984 European Championship held in Paris and, to the misfortune of the Spaniards, it had a clear protagonist: Luis Miguel Arconada. The goalkeeper facilitated the victory of Les Bleus in the 57th minute, when the soft ball launched by Platini on a direct free kick slipped under his body and crossed the goal line. Bellone, already in added time, sealed the win for the French with the second goal (2-0), the first title for France in their history. Les Bleus reopened the Spanish wound in 1991 by winning both matches in the qualifying phase for the following year’s Euro (3-1 and 1-2) and left Spain out of the continental tournament.
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