France
SpainSpain arrived having conceded once in seven matches and left having added a shutout against the tournament's highest-scoring attack. France never found the counter-attacking space that Mbappé's pace had made seem inevitable across the preceding six games; Rodri and the Spanish midfield closed the channels before they opened. The xG margin was wider than the two-goal scoreline, and Spain were the better side from the first minute to the last.
France
France came to Dallas with sixteen goals in six matches and the most celebrated attacking line in the tournament, and Spain simply did not permit them to function. Digne's foul on Yamal handed Oyarzabal the penalty that opened the account; what followed was a further forty-five minutes in which Mbappé, Dembélé, Olise, and Doué were collectively restricted to 0.3 expected goals from ten shots. A proud tournament, a deserved exit.
Spain
Spain came to Dallas as the most complete team in the draw and produced the most complete performance of the knockout stage. Oyarzabal's penalty — earned by Yamal, converted with composure — gave them the platform; Porro's 58th-minute finish from a give-and-go with Olmo closed it. They held France's four-man attacking unit to a fraction over two shots on target and made the scoreline look comfortable because it was.