Lamine Yamal details Spain's tactical victory over France

Two months after Spain's 2-0 victory over France in the 2026 World Cup semi-final, Lamine Yamal has detailed the tactical approach used to secure the win. In an interview with L’Équipe, the FC Barcelona winger explained that Spain's strategy was centered on controlling possession to prevent France from utilizing their offensive strengths in an open game.

Yamal noted that an open match would have favored France due to their ability to punish opponents during transitions. Instead, Spain focused on depriving France of space and the ball. Once Spain secured an early lead, they maintained dominance through possession, which Yamal stated allowed the high quality of their squad to create a significant gap between the two teams.

The winger also addressed the pivotal moment when he won a penalty following a duel with Lucas Digne, describing it as a standard part of the game that helped solidify Spain's control. This victory marked Spain's third consecutive win against France, following their path to eventually defeating Argentina in the final to claim the world title.