After a brief break following the quarterfinals, Euro 2024 resumed with Spain facing off against France for a spot in the Berlin finals on Sunday. Spain entered the match with confidence after narrowly defeating Germany, while France, despite lackluster performances, advanced past Portugal in a penalty shootout.
Kylian Mbappe, France’s influential captain, played without his protective mask, signaling his return to full fitness. However, France’s offensive struggles were evident throughout the tournament, relying heavily on defense with four clean sheets out of six games. The attacking trio of Mbappe, Marcus Thuram, and Randall Kolo Muani failed to convert opportunities, while veterans like Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann struggled to make an impact. The absence of Paul Pogba further hindered their midfield creativity.
Defensively, France remained solid with goalkeeper Mike Maignan in excellent form, supported by full-backs Theo Hernandez and Jules Kounde, and a strong central pairing of William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano.
Midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and N’Golo Kante provided additional defensive stability.
Spain, in contrast, had been impressive throughout the tournament. They began with a convincing 3-0 win over Croatia and followed it up with a dominant display against Italy, albeit without a significant scoreline due to Gianluigi Donnarumma’s heroics. The Spanish team showed resilience in their knockout games, notably defeating Germany in a thrilling encounter.
In the semifinal match against France, Spain initially struggled but equalized through a superb goal from Lamine Yamal, who became the youngest scorer in major international tournaments. They took the lead with Dani Olmo’s strike, despite confusion over whether it was an own goal by Jules Kounde. France had chances to equalize, notably through Dayot Upamecano and Kylian Mbappe, but failed to capitalize.
The match concluded with Spain securing their place in the finals, while France faced disappointment at their offensive shortcomings despite their defensive solidity.
