La Roja is becoming the new 'nemesis' of Les Bleus.

For the French team, the red jersey of Spain is now not just an obstacle but a real nightmare. Within just two years from 2024 to 2026, Spanish football has repeatedly brought heartbreak to the French squad in three of the world's most prestigious semi-finals: EURO 2024, Nations League 2025, and most recently the 2026 World Cup. Previously, Les Bleus lost 1-2 at EURO 2024 and 4-5 in the Nations League 2025.

From a former long-time rival and equal opponent, Spain is gradually becoming a true obsession for France. The Bulls not only win on the scoreboard but also consistently force Les Bleus to play at a pace dictated by Spain.

In this World Cup, France entered the semi-final as a championship contender with an attack featuring Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, and Bradley Barcola. However, Didier Deschamps' team once again proved powerless against Spain's ability to control the match.

Unlike the explosive nature of the previous two semi-finals, Spain this time adopted a pragmatic, scientific approach with suffocating ball control. They choked off every French attacking move, completely isolating their lines for the entire 90 minutes. La Roja dominated the midfield, circulated the ball patiently, and minimized transition situations—the most dangerous weapon of Mbappe and his teammates. The attack, which was France's pride, was nearly neutralized; the 'super quartet' of Les Bleus became an 'invisible quartet' against the Spanish.

In this match, Spain showed their experience. They defended without dropping too deep, attacked without losing balance, and knew when to accelerate and when to slow the game down. Spain turned France into a disjointed team lacking ideas and almost unable to fight back. Remarkably, France possesses one of the most talented generations of players in the world, yet individual qualities become meaningless against a nearly perfectly functioning collective.

The 2-0 victory helped Spain reach the World Cup final for the first time since their 2010 title, while ending France's ambition of playing in three consecutive World Cup finals. For Mbappe and the talented generation of Les Bleus, the puzzle named La Roja will likely haunt them until their next meetings.

The defeat in the World Cup 2026 semi-final further highlights Mbappe's inferiority against his 'nemesis' Yamal. From club to national team, the French striker has lost 9 out of 11 direct encounters with the young Spanish talent.

Since Mbappe joined Real Madrid, the striker has lost all six knockout matches against Yamal. The defeats span from EURO 2024, Nations League to World Cup 2026. Although Mbappe scores more goals in their head-to-heads, the final result often favors Yamal. This further reinforces the 'nemesis' image that the 19-year-old star has created against his senior.

Mbappe's team will have to play the third-place match in Miami Gardens on July 19.

With 37 consecutive unbeaten matches in regular time and only one goal conceded since the start of the World Cup, Spain enters the final not only with excitement but also with clear signs of a team that has reached its peak.