Honestly, if you missed the France vs Spain Euro 2024 semi-final, you missed the exact moment the hierarchy of European football shifted. It wasn't just a match. It was a changing of the guard, happening in real-time under the bright lights of Munich’s Allianz Arena.
Before the whistle even blew on July 9, 2024, the narrative was set. You had France—stony, defensive, and frankly a bit boring to watch—up against a Spanish side that felt like a breath of fresh air. People were calling it "The Real Final." And for once, the hype actually matched the reality.
The Early Shock and the Maskless Mbappe
France actually started like they meant business. It’s funny because they hadn't scored a single goal from open play in the entire tournament leading up to this. Not one. It was all own goals and penalties. Then, eight minutes in, Randal Kolo Muani heads one home.
The cross came from Kylian Mbappe.
Interestingly, Mbappe had ditched the protective mask he’d been wearing since breaking his nose against Austria. He looked free. He looked dangerous. For about ten minutes, it felt like France was going to "Deschamps" their way into another final, suffocating the game after an early lead.
That Lamine Yamal Moment
Then 16-year-old Lamine Yamal decided to become a household name.
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You’ve probably seen the replay a thousand times, but it still doesn't quite make sense how a kid who wasn't even old enough to drive a car in Spain could do that. He picked up the ball about 25 yards out, shimmied past Adrien Rabiot—who had notably talked a bit of trash before the game—and unleashed a left-footed curler.
It hit the post and went in.
It wasn't just an equalizer. It was a statement. At 16 years and 362 days, he became the youngest goalscorer in the history of the European Championship. The stadium literally shook. You could see the French players looking at each other like, "Wait, is this actually happening?"
Dani Olmo and the Four-Minute Flurry
If Yamal provided the spark, Dani Olmo provided the knockout blow. Just four minutes later, the French defense—which had been a fortress all summer—cracked again.
Olmo’s touch in the box was filthy. He brought down a high ball, danced past Aurelien Tchouameni with a touch that looked like it belonged in a futsal court, and smashed it. Jules Kounde tried to block it on the line, but he only succeeded in helping it into the roof of the net.
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2-1. Just like that.
Spain had turned a 1-0 deficit into a lead in under five minutes. The rest of the game was a masterclass in game management. Rodri was everywhere. He’s basically a human metronome, keeping the tempo exactly where Spain wanted it.
Why France Couldn't Fight Back
Didier Deschamps tried everything. He threw on Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, and Bradley Barcola.
France had chances. Mbappe had a massive one late in the second half—the kind of chance he usually scores in his sleep. He cut inside Daniel Vivian, had the goal at his mercy, and... sent it into the third tier of the stands.
That was the game.
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Spain’s defense, even without the suspended Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand, held firm. 38-year-old Jesus Navas had to deal with Mbappe for over an hour and, despite getting a yellow card, he did enough to keep the superstar quiet.
France vs Spain Euro 2024: Tactical Breakdown
When you look back at the France vs Spain Euro 2024 clash, the tactics tell a deeper story than the scoreline. Luis de la Fuente has transformed Spain. They aren't the "possession for the sake of possession" team of 2010. They are vertical. They are fast.
- The Wingers: Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal stretched the French backline so thin that spaces opened up for Olmo and Fabian Ruiz in the middle.
- The Rodri Factor: He finished the game with a pass completion rate that was almost insulting. He neutralized the French midfield of Kante and Tchouameni.
- France's Rigidity: France played a narrow 4-3-3 that struggled to cope with Spain's width. When they did get the ball, they looked tired.
The Aftermath
Spain didn't just win a semi-final that night; they proved their brand of football was the best in the world. They went on to beat England 2-1 in the final in Berlin, but most fans will tell you the France game was the real test of their character.
For France, it was the end of an era. The "boring but winning" strategy finally hit a wall it couldn't climb over. Mbappe left the tournament with just one goal (a penalty) and a lot of questions about his fitness and form heading into his Real Madrid chapter.
What You Can Learn from This Match
If you're a coach or just a student of the game, there are three massive takeaways from this specific encounter:
- Width Wins: Spain’s insistence on keeping two high-quality wingers wide forced France to abandon their compact defensive shape.
- Age is Just a Number: Trusting a 16-year-old in a semi-final is a massive risk, but modern youth development (especially at La Masia) means these kids are tactically ready far earlier than we think.
- The Importance of a 6: Rodri proved that having a world-class holding midfielder who can also pass under pressure is the most valuable asset in modern international football.
To really appreciate the scale of what happened, go back and watch the full match replay if you can find it. Pay attention to Spain’s positioning whenever they lost the ball. Their counter-press was so aggressive that France often couldn't even get out of their own half for 10-minute stretches.
If you want to dive deeper into the stats, look up the "Expected Goals" (xG) for this match. It shows that while the score was close, Spain’s control of the high-value areas was significantly better than France’s desperate late-game crosses.