There were those who continued to point to France as the big favorite due to the quality of Mbappé, Dembélé, Olise, or Barcola. Spain responded on the field.
The Dallas semifinal did not just leave one finalist. It also reinforced a feeling that had been growing since the start of the championship: Luis de la Fuente's team is probably the team that has played the best football throughout the World Cup.
It was not a victory born of a single moment of brilliance or a stroke of luck. Spain controlled the match from start to finish, dominated possession, minimized French chances, and barely allowed one of the most fearsome attacks in the tournament to trouble Unai Simón.
France never found a way to inflict damage
The best proof of Spain's dominance is in the match statistics.
France, which had reached the semifinals as one of the highest-scoring teams in the World Cup, was unable to generate danger for much of the match. Mbappé found few spaces, Dembélé disappeared, and Olise never managed to connect with the forwards.
Spain closed all passing lanes, won the midfield battle, and turned every recovery into a new, long possession that frustrated the French.
The "oles" that began to be heard in the final stretch summarized what was happening on the field better than any statistic.
Rodri once again governed the match
If there was one player who symbolized Spanish control, it was Rodri.
The midfielder once again set the tempo of the game, always offering a passing option and providing balance to the team both with and without the ball.
Alongside him, Fabián Ruiz delivered another performance of enormous physical exertion, while Dani Olmo constantly appeared between the lines to break down the French defensive organization.
It was precisely a combination initiated by Olmo that ultimately led to the second goal, finished by Pedro Porro.
Lamine Yamal appeared when Spain needed him most
During the first weeks of the World Cup, there was much talk about Lamine Yamal's physical condition.
The muscular discomfort he had been carrying had limited his prominence, but against France, he delivered a performance that recalled why he is considered one of the most decisive footballers in the world.
He provoked the penalty that Mikel Oyarzabal converted to open the scoring, constantly broke through on the right wing, and forced the French defense to remain attentive to his every surge.
His best version arrives precisely when Spain needs it most.
A team built from the collective
Beyond individualities, Spain's great merit is once again the block.
Luis de la Fuente has managed to make all the pieces work naturally. The team presses together, recovers quickly, maintains possession, and barely concedes chances.
The semifinal confirmed that identity. France tried to speed up the game, but ended up playing at the pace set by Spain.
One step away from the second star
The victory against France now places Spain before the opportunity to conquer the second World Cup in its history.
Whether Argentina or England is the opponent in the final, the feeling left by the tournament is clear: the Spanish team arrives at the final match as the team that has competed best, the one that has generated the fewest doubts, and the one that has shown a more complete footballing proposal.
There is one last obstacle. Ninety minutes to turn a great World Cup into an unforgettable page in the history of Spanish football.