Deportes

There are matches that smell of history, that exude rivalry, that are destined to become myths and that will be forever embedded in individual and collective memory. Today’s England-Argentina semifinal in Atlanta is not just another match. Neither for one side nor the other because it directly appeals to their identity. For both, it is the challenge of the great symbol. For the Albiceleste, facing the English refers to avenging national and nationalist wounds, and that is how they sing it – fans and players, by the way. For the Three Lions, the memory of what happened in 1986 at the Azteca is an affront, because of the cheating on the first goal, because of the humiliation of the second.

Didier Deschamps appeared visibly disappointed after France’s defeat against Spain (0-2) in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup. The French coach regretted his team’s elimination, acknowledged the superiority of the Spanish team, and, although he avoided focusing his speech on the refereeing, hinted at his displeasure over several decisions made during the match.

Spain is just one match away from lifting the World Cup for the second time in its history after defeating France with overwhelming superiority in the semifinals. When the national team plays, there is an opinion column by Mariano Rajoy, and this time the attention to the words of the former Prime Minister was at its highest after he caused a great political stir in the previous one by talking about a French team that plays “without French players.”

Overflowing joy from the Kings, Princess Leonor, and Infanta Sofía who have followed the match from a hotel in Barcelona in which Spain, after beating France 2-0, qualified to play in the final of the World Cup. As promised, the King will be next Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, near New York, where the Spanish team hopes to defend the championship title they won in 2010 at the South Africa World Cup, in a match they will play against the winner of Argentina-England taking place this Wednesday.

Current European champion. Reigning Olympic champion. Runner-up of the Nations League, in whose previous edition they had won the title. And World Cup finalist. Lamine Yamal was right when he said that if anyone should be afraid, it was France. Because of that trophy case full of successes in the last four years and because of the direct confrontations against the French team, defeated for the third consecutive time by their worst enemy. The bleu team has a handful of stars, but Spain, as a whole, intimidates, scares, and overwhelms. They have now gone 37 matches unbeaten, matching the all-time record held by Italy. Luis de la Fuente and Lamine Yamal’s team is a competitive beast that sent the 2018 champion and 2022 runner-up to third and fourth place. Luis de la Fuente’s team, which turns everything it touches into gold, is the ogre of the championship. The Spanish team dominates the international stage like no other. A stage on which they have nothing to envy anyone, neither with the ball nor without it. On the contrary.

Football lesson in Dallas. Unexpected because it was given by Spain over France and not the other way around, when the team that had been suffering through the matches was the red one and the one that was getting through them without barely a fuss was the blue one. The monumental display (we are not exaggerating, the importance of the event,…

There will be no fifth World Cup final for France, after having been in the last two consecutively (Russia 2018, Qatar 2022). The first team in the FIFA ranking, the one that had displayed the best play in the tournament in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, was a caricature in the hands of Spain. The Bleus never performed at the level they had shown, not even close, defeated in all lines by De la Fuente’s players.

For the second time in its history, Spain will play the World Cup final after defeating France 2-0 with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro, in a match with few scoring opportunities in which the Iberian team imposed its dominance. In the final, Spain will face on Sunday the winner of the match to be played on Wednesday between Argentina and England.

The Spanish team is already in the World Cup final after defeating France 0-2 in a highly demanding semifinal. The team led by Luis de la Fuente once again delivered a solid and effective performance to overcome one of the top favorites for the title and come just one match away from winning the championship. After the match, the coach highlighted the pride he feels for his players’ performance, praised the team’s collective level, and called for maintaining unity with the fans ahead of the tournament’s final match.

If the Bourbons will never forget July 14, 1789, the beginning of the end, the blues will also not be able to put aside for long what happened on another July 14, 237 years after the storming of the Bastille. Without needing to behead anyone, applying a plan designed and executed with the precision of a Swiss watch, Spain ruined the neighboring country’s national holiday with a display of competitiveness that took them to the World Cup final. World Cup final, three simple words whose symbolism transcends any dictionary.