CORNERFLICK
Thierry Henry praised Spain’s performance after their 2-0 win over France in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals, saying Luis de la Fuente’s side shut Les Bleus out tactically.
Speaking on Fox Sports alongside Zlatan Ibrahimović, the former France and Barcelona forward said Spain were better than France in every part of the pitch. He described France’s display as disappointing and said they never found a way to deal with Spain’s style.
Henry pointed to Spain’s collective movement, constant rotation and trust in their system as the key to their success. He said they know when to quicken the tempo with short passes and when to slow the game down by keeping the ball, a method he had seen first-hand against Spain and during his Barcelona career.
He also singled out Rodri as central to Spain’s control, while praising Mikel Oyarzabal as one of the team’s most effective but least noticed players. Henry added that De la Fuente’s decision to start Fabián Ruiz ahead of Pedri helped Spain find more balance in midfield.
Henry criticised Didier Deschamps for leaving N’Golo Kanté on the bench and said France looked short of energy, cohesion and a clear plan.