How Spain’s midfield passing carousel dismantled Didier Deschamps’ French dream

Author: iol.co.zaPublished on: July 15, 2026Country: Spain

Sports

How Spain’s midfield passing carousel dismantled Didier Deschamps’ French dream

Spain defeated France 2-0 in the 2026 World Cup semi-final, halting France's attack that had scored 16 goals in six matches. Spain's midfield trio of Rodri, Dani Olmo, and Fabián Ruiz dominated, cutting off France's supply lines and preventing a single shot on target for 75 minutes. Kylian Mbappé admitted his team was outnumbered in midfield and failed to execute their desired tactical, technical, and performance levels.

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