Benni McCarthy hails Spain’s masterclass after dismantling France to reach World Cup final

South African football legend and Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy has praised Spain for producing a tactical masterclass in their victory over France, insisting La Roja completely outclassed their opponents to secure a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

Spain booked their place in Sunday’s showpiece after defeating France in the first semi-final, delivering a dominant display that left one of the tournament favourites with few answers.

Speaking on Sporty TV after the match, McCarthy admitted he was not surprised by Spain’s victory but was astonished by the manner in which they overwhelmed Didier Deschamps’ side from the opening whistle.

“No shock. I think it’s more of a shock the way Spain pinned France down,” McCarthy said.

“That is a shock. Spain did their homework, and I think they completely executed their plan to perfection because they not only nullified France to limit ball possession but limited shots at goal, limited dangerous plays, and the biggest factor is they limited France’s best players from being effective in the game.”

The former Bafana Bafana striker credited Spain’s tactical discipline and relentless pressing for preventing France from playing their usual attacking football. According to McCarthy, Spain’s organisation and intensity forced the French into one of their poorest performances of the tournament.

“Spain did the job exceptionally well, you know, so as much as we can say, yes, France didn’t turn up, we have to give credit to Spain because Spain made them play like that with the way they press, the way they were aggressive, the way they were first to everything.”

McCarthy believes Spain deserved enormous credit for their performance rather than France being criticised for failing to produce their best football. He argued that Luis de la Fuente’s side executed a flawless game plan, dominating every area of the pitch and refusing to give the French stars any time or space to influence the contest.

The South African legend also highlighted Spain’s superiority in physical duels, saying they won virtually every battle across the field.

“They were first to the first ball and then every second ball; those Spanish players contested, and they always won the battle against France,” said South Africa’s all-time leading goalscorer.

He added that Spain’s relentless pressure made France look ordinary despite the quality within their squad and the impressive form they had shown throughout the tournament.

“France looked like they didn’t know what to do. Spain made them look like a normal team. They didn’t look like the team that everybody said was probably everybody’s favourite team, just by the way they went about their business from the first game up until now.”

McCarthy’s assessment echoed the views of many observers who were impressed by Spain’s ability to neutralise one of the most talented teams at the World Cup. Their aggressive pressing, composure in possession and tactical discipline proved too much for France, who struggled to create meaningful opportunities throughout the contest.

With the victory, Spain advanced to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, where they will look to cap an outstanding tournament by lifting football’s biggest prize. McCarthy believes that if they reproduce the same level of intensity and tactical excellence in the final, they will be difficult for any opponent to stop.