Spain edge France in nine-goal thriller to reach Nations League final

Spain made a bright start, taking the lead in the 22nd minute when Nico Williams finished calmly after a clever assist from Oyarzabal. Just three minutes later, Oyarzabal was again the provider, setting up Merino to double La Roja’s advantage and put France under early pressure.

Dean Huijsen thought he had added a third before half-time, but his effort was ruled out for offside following a well-worked set piece. After the break, Spain continued to press and were rewarded when Lamine Yamal converted a penalty in the 54th minute to make it 3-0.

Barely a minute later, Pedri struck Spain’s fourth, with Williams providing his second assist of the evening. France responded quickly, as Kylian Mbappe pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 59th minute after being fouled by Pedro Porro.

Spain restored their three-goal cushion in the 67th minute, with Yamal scoring his second of the match to make it 5-1. However, France refused to surrender, and Rayan Cherki produced a stunning volley in the 79th minute to reduce the deficit to 5-2.

The French comeback gathered momentum, and in stoppage time, Kolo Muani struck to make it 5-4, setting up a tense finale. Despite late pressure, Spain held firm to secure a memorable victory in one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament.

With this win, La Roja advance to the Nations League final, where they will face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, who defeated Germany 2-1 in the other semi-final. The stage is now set for a mouth-watering final in Stuttgart, as Spain look to defend their Nations League crown against formidable opposition.