MUNICH – Spain and France face off on July 9 for a place in the Euro 2024 final after taking contrasting routes to their semi-final clash in Munich.
As France stumbled their way through, Spain’s flowing football has made them the team to beat. However, they will have to overturn a poor record against the French in major tournaments. Here is a look at five classic clashes between the two nations:
Platini is king of the Parc
The first meeting between two of European football’s powerhouses at a major tournament did not take place until the Euro 1984 final.
Hosts France emerged 2-0 winners, led by the imperious Michel Platini – whose nine goals in a single tournament remains a Euro record. The midfielder opened the scoring at the Parc des Princes in a moment that dogged Spanish goalkeeper Luis Arconada for the rest of his career.
Arconada let a low free kick from Platini through his grasp before Bruno Bellone chipped the La Roja custodian in stoppage time to seal Les Bleus’ first major tournament victory.
Djorkaeff the decider
France also defeated Spain 2-1 en route to their second Euro win in the Netherlands and Belgium in 2000.
The quarter-final clash in Bruges was a classic, featuring a free kick from another iconic French No. 10. Zinedine Zidane’s sumptuous set piece put Les Bleus in front before Gaizka Mendieta’s penalty levelled proceedings.
Youri Djorkaeff smashed home the winner for the French side, who were captained by current coach Didier Deschamps.
Zidane’s last dance
France’s dominance of the fixture at major tournaments continued on German soil at the 2006 World Cup.
Spain had appeared the team to beat in the group stage and went in front in the last-16 clash in Hanover through David Villa’s penalty. But Les Bleus hit back on their road to the final.
Franck Ribery equalised with his first international goal before Patrick Vieira and Zidane – in the tournament that was his swansong – fired France into the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win.
Spain’s three-peat
La Roja finally managed their first competitive win over Les Bleus in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.
On his 100th international appearance, Xabi Alonso scored both goals in Donetsk, Ukraine, with an early diving header and late penalty to seal France’s fate.
Spain would go on to win a third consecutive major tournament after Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.
Mbappe wins Nations League
The most recent meeting between the sides saw France win the Nations League final 2-1 in Milan, Italy, in controversial fashion three years ago.
Two goals in barely two minutes sparked the final into life as Mikel Oyarzabal fired Spain in front before Karim Benzema’s stunning strike levelled matters. Kylian Mbappe then scored the winner as a subtle stepover outfoxed Unai Simon.
Spain were furious the goal was allowed to stand as Mbappe had clearly been standing in an offside position, but the video assistant referee did not intervene as he deemed Eric Garcia’s attempted clearance as a deliberate play on the ball. AFP