Spain v France LIVE: Euro 2024 result and final score as Lamine Yamal wondergoal knocks out Kylian Mbappe
Spain 2-1 France: The 16-year-old Lamine Yamal scored a stunning goal as La Roja advanced to the Berlin final, where they will face England or the Netherlands
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
Spain’s Lamine Yamal scored a wondergoal to become the youngest scorer in men’s European Championship history to help knock out tournament favourites France and reach the final of Euro 2024.
The 16-year-old fired a stunning strike into the top cover from outside the penalty area to equalise after Randal Kolo Muani’s early opener in the semi-final in Munich. And Dani Olmo then struck moments later to give Spain the lead, as his goal-bound shot deflected in off France defender Jules Kounde.
Spain looked to contain France in a tight second half that saw few chances, but captain Kylian Mbappe blazed over the bar when finally getting a sight of goal and manager Didier Deschamps’ attacking changes did not help to force a late equaliser as La Roja held on.
Spain are through to their first men’s final since last winning the Euros in 2012 and will face either England or the Netherlands in Berlin on Sunday. Gareth Southgate’s side play the Dutch tomorrow night looking to reach consecutive Euro finals after defeat to Italy three years ago.
Follow all the latest updates from Spain v France below:
Euro 2024: Spain v France
Just five minutes until kick-off now.
The teams are in the tunnel now, and the national anthems are moments away.
Euro 2024: Spain vs France
As we approach kick-off, here’s a reminder of how both sides reached the final four.
France
France 1-0 Austria – Unsure how Austria would go, France played it safe as Ralf Rangnick’s men proved they were here to compete. Max Wober’s unfortunate own goal secured three crucial points for Didier Deschamps men.
France 0-0 Netherlands – In what could possibly end up being a preview of the Euro 2024 final, a Kylian Mbappe-less France played out a stalemate with the Dutch.
France 1-1 Poland – Needing to avoid defeat to guarantee qualification for the knockout rounds Mbappe opened the scoring from the penalty spot but a Robert Lewandowski penalty brought Poland an equaliser. It’s the only goal France have conceded thus far.
Last-16
France 1-0 Belgium – After finished behind Austria in Group D, France now had to face Belgium. This time it was a Jan Vertonghen own goal which sent them through.
Quarter-final
France 0-0 Portugal (5-3 on penalties) – Billed as Mbappe vs Ronaldo this knockout round tie didn’t live up to the hype. A goalless draw after 120 minutes took the match to a shootout where the French scored a perfect five and advanced.
Spain
Spain 3-0 Croatia – Alvaro Morata, Fabian Ruiz and Dani Carvajal all scored in a straightforward win.
Spain 1-0 Italy – A Riccardo Calafiori own goal settled the tie, though the scoreline was flattering for Italy.
Spain 1-0 Albania – Ferran Torres’ 13th minute strike ensured Spain kept their 100% win rate in tact.
Last-16
Spain 4-1 Georgia – Despite a Robin Le Normand own goal sending Spain behind they equalised through Rodri before goals from Ruiz, Nico Williams and Dani Olmo helped them to a comfortable win.
Quarter-final
Spain 2-1 Germany – Substitute Olmo opened the scoring in the 51st minute before a very late equaliser from Florian Wirtz. Fellow Spanish sub Mikel Merino then decided the match late in extra-time.
Head-to-head
These two sides have faced each other 36 times on the international stage, with fixtures dating as afar back as 1922. Their most recent fixture was the 2021 Nations League final, which France won 2-1 thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema.
And tonight will be the sixth meeting between the two at a major tournament – France won three of the first four (2-0 in Euro 1984 final, 2-1 in Euro 2000 quarter-final, 3-1 in 2006 World Cup last 16), while Spain won the most recent game 2-0 win in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals.
The other game was a 1-1 draw during the Euro 1996 group stage.
Having met in the Euro 2024 semi-final, the group stage at Euro 96, the last 16 of the 2006 World Cup, the quarter-finals of Euro 2000 (and 2012) and the final of Euro 1984, Spain v France will become just the third fixture to be played at each stage of World Cup and Euros, along with Italy v Spain and England v Germany.
France’s ‘tournament ball’ or Spain’s ideology – how do you actually win the Euros?
Lamine Yamal has been one of the few stars always worth watching at Euro 2024, which means he attracts a lot of defenders, so Luis De La Fuente is intent on making the 16-year-old see better team solutions. In training, the Spainmanager has taken Yamal aside and told him “if you have three players on you, there’s an area where we have superiority – we must get the ball there, not by dribbling, but with fast passing”.
This is Spain, after all. De La Fuente has accelerated the team’s evolution from dogmatic possession, primarily through the use of Yamal and Nico Williams, but the approach is still based on the core ideology. The identity is too ingrained. Such advice still produced maybe the most beautiful play at Euro 2024, which was a wondrous one-touch passing move against Germany to turn defence into attack. It has been lacking from a lot of teams.
A problem with De La Fuente’s advice for the semi-final is that, in the French half, there are very unlikely to be any areas of numerical superiority. That is because Didier Deschamps constantly has one piece of advice of his own. That is to ensure there is always a packed defensive structure around the French goal. If the Spanish mindset is to give the ball, Deschamps’s is to give nothing away.
France’s ‘tournament ball’ or Spain’s ideology – how do you actually win the Euros?
Euro 2024 has become a tournament of competing approaches and Miguel Delaney explains how the final result will decide the championship’s legacy
France’s biggest problem is not really a problem thanks to Didier Deschamps trick
Two of the three players to score for France in Euro 2024 are out of Euro 2024. One no longer plays international football at all. And one single goal from a French player? Well, that was a penalty.
It puts France two games away from an extraordinary achievement: from winning the European Championships without any of their team mustering a goal in open play. It sounds like a feat that the Greece side in 2004 - limited in ability, clean-sheet specialists and set-piece experts - could have pulled off. Not France, who scored four and three in the last two World Cup finals respectively; who have Kylian Mbappe, potentially the best player in the world for the next few years and, in time, the best in the World Cup’s history; who have a galaxy of attacking talent. But maybe it would be the definitive Didier Deschamps triumph, doing so in his own very particular way.
Thus far, his blueprint includes a cocktail of own-goals and a spot kick, stalemate, extra-time and a penalty shootout. Or if not the France manager’s gameplan, a by-product of his safety-first approach. “When you don’t get goals, it is better to not have goals scored against you,” he reflected. “I am a head coach that is defensive so my team plays in defence.” That was tongue in cheek, referencing his reputation.
France’s biggest problem is not really a problem thanks to Deschamps trick
Les Bleus have progressed to the semi-finals of Euro 2024 without scoring a goal themselves in open play, but an alarming trend may not not Didier Deschamps’s side in Germany
Goals, assists and perfect passing - Nico Williams is the consistent star Spain have been searching for
For many reasons, a majority of them valid, Lamine Yamal seemed to become the face of this Spain side heading into Euro 2024. For one it’s his youth, of course - a star at just 16. There’s also the potential for so many storylines, with his birthday the day before the final itself.
Then there’s the fact he plays for Barcelona - all this before we even approach the subject of his quality, which is clearly off the charts.
But while he gives Spain traits they’ve been desperate for over the last few years and tournaments - guile around the box, balance in the forward line and, above all else, speed - he isn’t the only player to do so. He isn’t even the only starting forward who offers much of the same traits, if in mirror image.
Goals and perfect passing - Nico Williams is the star Spain have been searching for
Lamine Yamal has won the headlines with regularity but his partner in crime is similarly sensational
Meet Lamine Yamal, the 16-year-old Spain wonderkid lighting up Euro 2024
Exactly one year ago Lamine Yamal was playing in the quarter-finals of the U17 European Championships in front of only a few hundred supporters. Skipping past defenders for fun, he registered an assist and scored once in Spain’s 3-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland.
At just 15 years old, he was one of the youngest players competing in the U17 competition at the time. Yet he already stood out among his peers, finishing as the joint top-scorer of the tournament – despite Spain crashing out to France in the semi-final.
Meet Lamine Yamal, the 16-year-old Spain wonderkid lighting up Euro 2024
Lamine Yamal has starred in Spain’s run at Euro 2024, and Bence Bocsak has witnessed the Barcelona wonderkid’s rise through the Spanish youth teams to this summer’s tournament in Germany
Dani Olmo is Spain’s antidote to France’s anti-football at Euro 2024
It’s perhaps a triumph of tactics, or simply a triumph of circumstance: France have got to the semi-finals of Euro 2024 without scoring a goal in open play through any of their own 26 members of the squad.
Didier Deschamps’ side have been totally unconcerned by having possession for large stretches of matches. They haven’t really created too many chances either – certainly not in the way that the calibre of players at their disposal would suggest that they might do.
They rank 11th in the tournament for average possession per game. They’ve created the same number of big chances at the Euros as Austria or Turkey. They’ve only scored three in total across five matches and two of them were own goals.
Dani Olmo is Spain’s antidote to France’s anti-football at Euro 2024
With Pedri suspended, his alternate in the No 10 role holds the keys to unlock Didier Deschamps’ side
Spain v France referee: Who is Euro 2024 official Slavko Vincic?
A reminder of the refereeing team for tonight’s semi-final.
Slavko Vincic will referee the first semi-final of Euro 2024 between Spain and France in Munich on Tuesday night.
The experienced Slovenian official, 44, became a Fifa-listed referee in 2010 and recently refereed the 2024 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
Vinčič’s first tournament was Euro 2012, where he attended as an assistant, and he first took charge at a major international tournament during Euro 2020, when he refereed two group-stage games and the quarter-final between Italy and Belgium.
Spain v France referee: Who is Euro 2024 official Slavko Vincic?
The 44-year-old Slovenian refereed last season’s Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments