"Murderous tackle" left Mbappé rolling on the ground: "He targeted my ankle, yet no card!"... Spain advances to the final amid controversy over a controversial call; France suffers shocking elimination

*This content was translated by AI.

Spain's "new star" Lamine Yamal (20) knocked down French ace Kylian Mbappé (28) with a harsh tackle, sparking controversy over the referee's decision, yet Spain defeated France.

Britain's "The Sun" reported on the 15th (Korean time) that "Yamal delivered a rough tackle to Mbappé and avoided any card sanction, prompting French coach Didier Deschamps to erupt in fury."

Spain defeated France 2-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup North America semi-final held at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, USA. Advancing to the final for the first time in 16 years, Spain aims for its second-ever title since the 2010 South Africa tournament. The final opponent will be either England or Argentina.

The incident occurred in the 32nd minute of the second half while Spain led 2-0. Yamal attempted a deep tackle targeting the back of Mbappé's leg. Although Mbappé clutched his ankle and fell to the ground, referee Ivan Barton did not call a foul and allowed play to continue. Deschamps, who had announced his retirement from the national team earlier this year, vehemently protested from the technical area.

Spain took control early when Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty kick awarded in the 22nd minute of the first half after Lucas Digne fouled Yamal. Later, in the early second half, Tottenham defender Pedro Porro added another goal to seal the victory.

The media explained that "France, a strong favorite for this tournament, collapsed powerlessly. In contrast, Spain dominated the midfield with Manchester City midfielder Rodri and controlled the match."

It further added: "Spain's full-backs Marc Cucurella and Porro dominated the flanks, while Dani Olmo excelled by completing 30 of his 31 passes. Meanwhile, France faced a series of setbacks. Key defender William Saliba was substituted due to injury in the 29th minute of the first half, and Michael Olise narrowly avoided a red card after a harsh tackle on Rodri, leaving France shaky throughout the match."

The media reported that "Spain proved itself as France's nemesis by defeating them at the threshold of major tournaments for three consecutive years: Euro 2024, the 2025 Nations League, and this year's World Cup."

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*This content was translated by AI.