Among European nations to have contested at least two major tournament semi-finals, Spain now boast the best progression rate in history, advancing from seven of their eight semi-final ties, an 88 percent success rate.
They have also become the first European nation to win eight consecutive knockout matches across the World Cup and European Championship combined, while extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to 37 games, level with Italy’s record run between 2018 and 2021.
37 – Spain have now gone 37 games without defeat in all competitions (W28 D9) equalling the longest ever unbeaten streak by a European nation in history (Italy also 37 matches between October 2018 and September 2021).
Resilience. pic.twitter.com/RG7LK3dmM3
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 14, 2026
France’s attack, so prolific throughout the tournament, was nullified almost entirely. Les Bleus recorded just 0.3 expected goals across the match, their lowest total in any World Cup fixture since Opta’s data begins in 1966.
It marked Spain’s sixth clean sheet of the tournament, the first time any nation has managed six shutouts at a single World Cup, and the lowest xG conceded by a team in a semi-final since Brazil’s meeting with Sweden in 1994.
Individual milestones featured too. The five European players with the most combined World Cup and European Championship appearances without ever losing all play for Spain. Aymeric Laporte on 22, Mikel Oyarzabal on 20, Fabian Ruiz on 16, and Mikel Merino and Lamine Yamal both on 14.
Yamal’s numbers stand out further still, the 18 year old has started 12 matches across the two tournaments and finished on the winning side in every single one, a 100 percent win rate unmatched by any other European player.
12 – Lamine Yamal has started 12 games at the FIFA World Cup and UEFA EUROs combined ending on the winning side in all 12 – the best 100%-win rate of any European player across the two competitions when starting.
Charm. https://t.co/TkuTANVLvw
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 14, 2026
With those numbers behind them, Spain now stand one win away from a second World Cup title. It would also be a second major tournament triumph for Luis de la Fuente, who has yet to lose a single knockout match at a World Cup or European Championship since taking charge.
Photo: REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
