France World Cup xG collapse fuels doubts ahead of third‑place match

Spain’s second goal delivered the decisive blow, sealing a 0‑2 defeat that knocked France out of the World Cup final and consigned Les Bleus to a third‑place showdown, a blow that underscores the French side’s fraught tournament performance overall campaign. The semi‑final loss to Spain eliminated Les Bleus from the final and sent them to a third‑place playoff. The 0‑2 scoreline reflects a night where France could not generate scoring chances. According to Opta', the French side recorded an xG of just 0.3, the lowest Opta has logged in a World Cup match since 1966. By the interval the expected‑goals value had sunk to a mere 0.04, underscoring the French attack’s inefficacy.

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Spain, known as La Roja, secured the victory and reinforced their status as a persistent obstacle for France. The Iberian rivals have also beaten the French side at Euro 2024 and in the 2025 Nations League, adding to their recent dominance. While Spain’s dream of the title lives on, France will still contest the third‑place match on Saturday. Their opponent will be decided this evening, leaving Les Bleus to regroup for the final fixture of the tournament.

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The article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence, with the original version available in German.