Spain held off a spirited late rally from France to secure a place in the UEFA Nations League final after a sensational 5-4 win in Stuttgart last night.
Luis de la Fuente’s side appeared to be cruising towards a comfortable victory after a dominant first-half performance saw them take a 2-0 lead through Nico Williams and Mikel Merino. The situation worsened for France early in the second half when Lamine Yamal calmly converted a penalty, and Pedri added a fourth shortly after, seemingly putting the contest beyond doubt.
Kylian Mbappé pulled a goal back for France from the spot just before the hour mark, but Spain responded almost immediately, with Yamal netting his second of the evening to make it 5-1.
However, what followed was an extraordinary late fightback from Didier Deschamps’ side. Substitute Rayan Cherki produced a stunning long-range volley to reduce the deficit, before a Daniel Vivian own goal and a powerful header from Randal Kolo Muani brought France to within a goal in stoppage time.
Despite the dramatic turnaround, Spain held firm in the final moments to confirm their place in Sunday’s final against Portugal, who themselves overcame hosts Germany 2-1 in the other semi-final.
The result extends Spain’s remarkable unbeaten run and continues their impressive form on the international stage, having already lifted the UEFA Euro 2024 title in Germany just a year earlier.
As for France, they will now contest the third-place play-off against Germany in Munich, with Deschamps’ men left to reflect on a night of mixed emotions a poor opening hour followed by a valiant but ultimately unsuccessful comeback.
It was a Nations League semi-final that will be remembered as one of the competition’s finest matches, a nine-goal spectacle full of quality, drama, and resilience on both sides.
