From The Sports Desk: Argentina, England renew bitter rivalry in World Cup semifinals

Spain stopped the unstoppable force and beat France yesterday 2-0 in the first World Cup semifinal, holding Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé in check.

Spain stopped the unstoppable force and beat France yesterday 2-0 in the first World Cup semifinal, holding Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé in check. This is Spain’s first appearance in a World Cup final since it won in 2010. It denied France’s bid to make three consecutive World Cup finals, too.

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The semifinal today resumes one of international soccer’s most bitter rivalries. Argentina vs. England. Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham. This one does not lack storylines, either. We’ll be live-blogging the game at NBC News, so come follow along!

Pedro Porro of Spain celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match against France on July 14.David Ramos / Getty ImagesSpain is headed to Sunday’s World Cup final after shutting down France’s glittering array of attacking talent, crushing the tournament favorites 2-0 in Texas.