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France’s World Cup journey came to an abrupt and disappointing end on Tuesday as Didier Deschamps’ team were outplayed by Spain in a 2-0 defeat. The usually dependable stars Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembele were kept quiet, as Les Bleus failed to register a single shot on target for the first 80 minutes of the semi-final, allowing La Roja to advance to the final at their expense.

Though France entered the match as one of the tournament favourites, their start was far from convincing. They struggled to control possession and lacked fluidity. The game took a turn midway through the first half when Lucas Digne’s clumsy challenge on Lamine Yamal resulted in a clear penalty, calmly converted by Mikel Oyarzabal, putting France behind for the first time in this campaign.

From that point, France rarely looked like wrestling back control. Every attempt by Mbappe, Dembele, Olise, and Bradley Barcola to penetrate Spain’s defence was comfortably repelled. Conversely, France’s backline had no answer to the movement and creativity of Yamal, Oyarzabal, and Dani Olmo.

Spain had already issued a few early warnings, slicing through France’s midfield without truly testing Mike Maignan. However, the lessons went unheeded. Before the hour mark, Spain doubled their lead through Pedro Porro, after substitute Maxence Lacroix—who replaced injured William Saliba—was drawn out of position, leaving Porro free to score with ease from Dani Olmo’s assist.

It was a bitter conclusion for Deschamps, whose illustrious tenure as France’s head coach ends without a third straight World Cup final appearance. Luis de la Fuente’s Spain, on the other hand, fully deserved their spot in the final.

Here are France’s player ratings from Dallas:

Goalkeeper & Defence

Mike Maignan (5/10): Had little opportunity to prevent the goals and cannot shoulder much blame for the defeat.

Jules Kounde (5/10): Allowed Marc Cucurella too much room, which led to the cross resulting in the penalty.

Dayot Upamecano (6/10): Intervened well on several occasions to cut out dangerous Spanish attacks.

William Saliba (N/A): Looked composed on the ball before being forced off injured in the 30th minute.

Lucas Digne (2/10): Conceded a blatant penalty with a reckless challenge on Yamal and continued to look shaky before being substituted.

Midfield

Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10): Worked hard in midfield battles and remained one of the few consistent performers.

Adrien Rabiot (4/10): Picked up an early yellow card in the ninth minute and struggled thereafter. Far below his usual standards and replaced at half-time.

Michael Olise (3/10): Found it difficult to exploit any gaps in Spain’s defensive structure—his weakest performance of the tournament.

Attack

Ousmane Dembele (3/10): Wasteful in possession and failed to make an impact against Spain’s disciplined defensive line.

Kylian Mbappe (3/10): Managed only one shot and created no real chances. Marked out of the game effectively.

Bradley Barcola (4/10): Offered little threat and was substituted around the hour mark.

Substitutes & Manager

Maxence Lacroix (4/10): Came on for Saliba after half an hour. Reacted too slowly when Pedro Porro broke through for Spain’s second goal.

Manu Kone (4/10): Replaced Rabiot at halftime but failed to impose himself, watching as Spain extended their lead.

Desire Doue (5/10): Tried his luck from distance twice, but neither effort troubled the goalkeeper.

Theo Hernandez (6/10): Showed more determination than Digne but could not inspire the comeback France needed.

Rayan Cherki (5/10): Struggled to create openings as France’s attack was stifled by Spain’s control.

Didier Deschamps (3/10): A disappointing end for a World Cup icon. His side were second-best throughout and fell far short of expectations for a team tipped to reach another final.