France defender Ibrahima Konaté has conceded that Spain deserved their victory after Les Bleus saw their bid for a historic third successive World Cup final ended by a 2-0 defeat in the semi-finals in Dallas.
The Liverpool centre-back, who recently joined Real Madrid, acknowledged that La Roja were the superior side as goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro sent Spain through to their first final since 2010. The loss marks France’s third consecutive defeat to the European champions, following their Euro 2024 final loss and a Nations League encounter.
Konaté: “Three straight losses – that hurts”
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s third-place match against England, Konaté did not mince words about the gap between the sides. “Three straight losses – that hurts, and as a competitor, we can’t accept it,” he said. “At Euro 2024, they were better than us, but there was still a chance. In the last match, they were better than us.”
The defender pointed to the threat posed by Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, noting that the Spanish wingers were “at 100%” during Tuesday’s encounter at Arlington. Spain’s opening goal came when Lucas Digne conceded a penalty for fouling Yamal, with Oyarzabal converting from the spot past Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
Injuries and changes disrupt French rhythm
France’s task became harder when William Saliba was forced off midway through the first half with a back injury, with Maxence Lacroix replacing the Arsenal defender. Didier Deschamps also withdrew Adrien Rabiot at half-time after the Milan midfielder received a yellow card, introducing Roma’s Manu Koné in his place. Bradley Barcola, who started ahead of Désiré Doué, was later substituted for the Paris Saint-Germain youngster shortly before the hour mark.
Spain doubled their lead early in the second period when Pedro Porro finished clinically at the near post following a swift exchange with Dani Olmo. France’s celebrated attack, which had driven their perfect record through the tournament, struggled to make an impact. Kylian Mbappé failed to register a shot on target, while Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise found little space against Spain’s resolute midfield.
What comes next
The defeat ends France’s hopes of becoming the first nation to reach three successive World Cup finals. Instead, they will face England in the bronze medal match on 18 July, having previously beaten the Three Lions in the 2022 quarter-finals.
Spain advance to face Argentina in the final on 19 July in New Jersey, aiming to lift the trophy for the first time since their 2010 triumph in South Africa. For Konaté, the focus is now on learning from these setbacks. “It is important to learn and understand the reasons behind these setbacks,” he said. “There will be further chances for Les Bleus to secure revenge.”