Thierry Henry, Zlatan among pundits left in awe as Spain stun France to reach World Cup final

Spain is heading to just the second World Cup final in its history. Sixteen years after lifting the trophy in South Africa, La Roja is now just 90 minutes away from adding a second star to its jersey.

To get there, Spain had to beat a France team that entered the semifinal as the favorite. Instead, Luis de la Fuente’s side imposed its style from start to finish, earning widespread praise from some of the biggest names in world soccer.

Thierry Henry says Spain outclassed France

Former France striker Thierry Henry said Spain fully deserved its place in the final, arguing the European champions controlled the match both in and out of possession and were clearly the superior team. He added that opponents will have to rethink their approach if they hope to stop Spain.

Henry also reserved special praise for Mikel Oyarzabal, suggesting the striker has never received the recognition he deserves because he plays for Real Sociedad rather than one of Spain’s traditional giants.

He was equally complimentary of Marc Cucurella, saying the left back produced another outstanding defensive display despite playing most of the match on a yellow card. Henry highlighted the Chelsea defender’s success in containing Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembélé throughout the game.

Ibrahimovic praises Spain’s collective strength

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said Spain’s greatest strength is its teamwork rather than any individual star. While acknowledging Lamine Yamal’s talent, he stressed that the team does not rely on one player and succeeds because of its collective approach.

He also praised Rodri for returning to elite form after a serious injury, saying the Manchester City midfielder has once again shown why he is considered one of the world’s best and a player every team would want.

Former England players impressed by Spain’s dominance

Steve McManaman admitted Spain had proven many pundits wrong after most expected France to reach the final. He described Spain as overwhelmingly dominant and deserving of its victory.

Michael Owen echoed that view, saying that although France possessed more individual star power, Spain always looked in control. He believes either England or Argentina will need to produce a much better performance to prevent Spain from lifting the trophy.

Former Watford captain Troy Deeney also hailed Spain as the best team in the world, arguing that critics who claimed the team had not been properly tested overlooked its ability to dominate games through possession and control.

Gary Neville highlights Spain’s fullbacks

Gary Neville admitted he was surprised by how one-sided the contest became after expecting France to advance. He described Spain’s display as exceptional and said the semifinal exposed a clear difference in quality between the two teams.

Neville singled out Spain’s fullbacks, Marc Cucurella and Pedro Porro, for their outstanding defensive performances against France’s dangerous wingers, while noting that Lucas Digne struggled on the opposite side.

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