France missed the chance to equal a prestigious FIFA World Cup milestone previously established by Brazil and Germany after falling to Spain in the semi-finals. The match, held at Dallas Stadium, ended in a justified victory for Spain thanks to goals from Mikel Oyarzabal in the first half and Pedro Porro in the second.
This outcome ensures that Brazil and Germany remain the sole nations to have competed in three consecutive World Cup finals. Germany reached this pinnacle between 1982 and 1990, while Brazil managed the same sequence from 1994 to 2002. France had previously participated in the 2018 final in Russia, securing a 4-2 victory over Croatia, and followed that by reaching the 2022 final in Qatar, where they were eventually defeated by Argentina on penalties. Their elimination by Spain in the 2026 semi-finals officially halted their pursuit of this historic record.
