Despite being rated higher than Spain, France lost 0-2 to the 2010 World Cup champion. What could have being the third goal for the Spanish team, scored by Lamine Yamal, was ruled out by the referee, ending the match in two goals in favour of Spain.
Three players performed at a higher level than everybody else: Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, and Dani Olmo.
Winning the Ballon d’Or while recovering from a major knee injury that didn’t allow him to show why he was voted as the world’s best player hurt the perception of Rodri for a while, but his performance on Tuesday should erase any doubt about who the world’s midfield boss is. The captain was extraordinary, dictating the pace of the game, destroying counter-attacks at the source, and dominating every aspect of Spain’s possession game.
Fabián Ruiz won the starter job over Pedri in the last round against Belgium and has repaid his coach’s faith. Pedri is undoubtedly one of the best on the planet but his tournament hasn’t been good, and Fabián added a level of energy and physical dominance that Pedri simply couldn’t contribute.
Ruiz, like Rodri, was a dominant presence in the middle of the park and controlled the tempo while also ruining virtually all promising French attacks with perfectly timed interceptions and great defensive positioning.
And Dani Olmo, who is eternally underrated because he’s injured too often to play at a consistent level for extended periods, showed why he’s one of the most technically gifted and intelligent players in the world.
Every touch in the final third had meaning and purpose behind them, his ability to read spaces and use his expert touch to move away from all the French bodies around him was beautiful to watch, and his assist for Pedro Porro’s goal in the second half was exquisite.
Every Spain player on the pitch played their part and helped destroy a helpless France team, but the three midfielders were without a doubt the biggest reason why La Roja produced one of the finest World Cup semi-final performances in recent history.
They just have to do it one more time with the title on the line on Sunday.