Tuesday, July 14 recap — Spain switch France off to reach the final, Saliba goes off in tears

The first semi-final of this World Cup promised a summit between the two most impressive teams of the tournament. It turned into a one-way demonstration. In Arlington, Spain beat France 2-0 without ever looking catchable, booking their first World Cup final since 2010. For us, the night carries a double sting: the French dream is over, and William Saliba left the pitch in tears, injured, before the half-hour mark.

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France 0-2 Spain — La Roja take the ball, and the dream with it

(Facts — sources: ESPN, FOX Sports, FIFA.)

We knew this Spain side loved the ball. We didn’t expect them to keep it quite like this. From the opening minutes, La Roja settled into their touches, their triangles and their patience, and France understood they would spend the evening chasing. The turning point came on 22 minutes: Lamine Yamal, untouchable down his flank, won a penalty after a foul by Lucas Digne. Mikel Oyarzabal converted coolly for his fifth goal of the tournament.

Eight minutes later, the night turned from cruel to painful: William Saliba, alone, with no contact, pulled up sharply clutching the back of his left thigh. The Arsenal defender left the pitch in tears, replaced by Maxence Lacroix. Weakened at the heart of their defence, France never found a way back. On 58 minutes, Pedro Porro finished a perfect one-two with Dani Olmo for 2-0, and Lamine Yamal even thought he had a third, ruled out for a marginal offside according to Goal. Kylian Mbappé’s attempts drifted off target, and Les Bleus finished the game without ever suggesting they could turn it around.

3 key numbers:

• 0.30 — France’s total xG on the night, against 1.63 for Spain. The clear chances only existed on one side.
• 2 of 2 — Spain’s shots on target converted into goals: Mike Maignan didn’t have a single save to make, both efforts on target went in.
• 30 — the minute William Saliba went off with his hamstring injury.

Gunners spotlight: the image of the night will remain William Saliba in tears, his hamstring gone without any contact, off after just 30 minutes of a World Cup semi-final. Heartbreak for France’s rock, whose tournament had been flawless until then, and a worry for Arsenal five weeks before the Premier League restart. On the Spanish side, David Raya, Mikel Merino and Martín Zubimendi stayed on the bench, but the result sends them to a World Cup final. Three Gunners guaranteed to live the biggest match in football, Sunday in New York.

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Bracket corner — Spain in the final, the answer comes tomorrow in Atlanta

(Source: official FIFA bracket, verified ESPN / FOX Sports.)

The left half of the bracket has spoken: Spain will play the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium. On the other side, everything is decided tomorrow night in Atlanta: England – Argentina, the reigning world champions against the Three Lions of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke. If England get there, the final will pit Gunners against Gunners: Raya, Merino and Zubimendi on one side, the English quartet on the other.

The GG take

This Spain team is frightening, plain and simple. We watched Les Bleus stroll through their half of the bracket, and yet on Tuesday night they simply never existed. The difference wasn’t a detail or a moment of magic: it was collective control, the kind that decides where the game is played and never changes its mind. Rodri was monstrous in that role, always in the right place, always precise, and Dani Olmo spent the evening appearing between the lines where nobody expected him.

For France, Saliba’s exit obviously weighed heavily, but let’s be honest: the game had already taken its direction before the injury. What worries the Arsenal fan is what comes next: a hamstring gone without contact, five weeks before the season starts, is the scenario everyone feared. Fingers crossed for Willy, and we take comfort where we can: whatever happens on Sunday, there will be at least three Gunners on the pitch in a World Cup final. Maybe seven, if England do their job tomorrow.