France and Spain: two international powerhouses with rich histories and bright futures. But how have the two countries matched up against each other in major tournaments throughout the years?
Let’s look back at the most notable meetings between France and Spain ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal match at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday:Â
Spain’s Goalscorers: Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo
France’s Goalscorers: Randal Kolo Muani
The most recent meeting between France and Spain was in 2024, again in a semifinal, but in the European Championship.
A majority of the players from both squads are involved again this time. Sixteen members of Spains current World Cup squad were in the Euro 2024 squad that won the tournament, while 15 France players from Euro 2024 are also in this World Cup squad.
Spain came into that Euro 2024 semifinal flying, having a marvelous tournament up to that point. La Roja went perfect in the group stage, winning all three matches, then beat Georgia comfortably in the round of 16 before knocking out host nation Germany in the quarterfinals.
France, meanwhile, had a relatively poor start to the tournament. Les Bleus failed to win their group, managing five points in the group stage, before lackluster knockout wins over Belgium and Portugal. France beat Belgium, 1-0, in the round of 16, then defeated Portugal on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the quarterfinals.
Spain came in with the momentum, but an early goal from Kolo Muani stirred the pot. Then a moment of magic from Lamine Yamal, a long-distance pearler, and a goal from Dani Olmo off a Jules Koundé deflection gave Spain a 2-1 lead going into halftime.
Spain managed to hang on, winning the semifinal before going on to win the entire tournament by beating England in the final.
Spain’s Goalscorers: Xabi Alonso 2
France came into this tournament managed by Laurent Blanc, trying to clean up the scraps of a humiliating 2010 World Cup campaign in which it finished bottom of its group with just one point in a group that included Uruguay, Mexico and South Africa.
France started Euro 2012 better compared to 2010 by getting out of the group, but it failed to win the group after suffering an upset defeat to Sweden on match day three. That meant France had to go up against a Spanish dynasty that was coming off winning Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.
Spain was firmly in the middle of being one of the greatest national teams of all time, if not the greatest national team of all time. An early goal from Xabi Alonso and a late insurance penalty from him in stoppage time allowed Spain to cruise into the semifinals.
Spain went on to win Euro 2012.
France’s Goalscorers: Franck Ribéry, Patrick Vieira, Zinedine Zidane
Spain’s Goalscorers: David Villa
This was a dramatic round of 16 matchup in 2006 because France failed to win its group, finishing below Switzerland, which led to Les Bleus facing a Spain side that had won its group in dominant fashion.
But Spains reward was having to face a France team in the last 16 that still had Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Lilian Thuram, Franck Ribéry and many more.
Those talented players got the better of a Spain team that started strong and took the initial lead through a David Villa penalty. But an equalizer from Ribéry shortly before halftime, a late goal from Vieira on a set piece and a stoppage-time insurance goal from Zidane allowed France to get past Spain.
It was a tough break for a Spanish team that won its group but was rewarded with a France team that ended up going all the way to the World Cup final.
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