And that's a wrap!

Thanks for joining us this morning for all the reaction, analysis and fallout from last night's World Cup semi-final between France and Spain.

Here's what we covered today:

• Spain book their place in the World Cup final with a convincing win over favourites France.
• La Roja reach their first World Cup final in 16 years and in doing so have equalled Italy's record for the longest undefeated streak ever in international football.
• As brilliant as Luis de la Fuente's side were, we discuss what went wrong for France, who showed little threat in the final third.
• Didier Deschamps' time as France coach ends in disaapoinment, but we look back on what has been a fantastic 14 years in charge of Les Bleus.
• Did the video assistant referee really tell the referee to cancel a free-kick just before half-time?

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Fortunately for France, they will have the chance to sign off their World Cup campaign with a win.

The two-time world champions will face either Argentina or England in Saturday's third-place play-off in Miami (22:00 BST).

It will be France's third appearance in a match of this kind. They beat Germany 6-3 to claim bronze at the 1958 World Cup and overcame Belgium after extra time to finish third in 1986.

Be honest, how many of you had forgotten the World Cup third-place play-off even existed?

Image source, Getty Images

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Did the video assistant referee really tell the referee to cancel a free-kick just before half-time?

We see something like this several times a season. As usual, there is a much simpler explanation. Here is what happened.

Ousmane Dembele ran into Fabian Ruiz on the edge of the box, with referee Ivan Barton giving the free-kick to France.

But a few seconds later the referee changed his mind, and restarted with a dropped ball to Spain.

It was a confusing situation, so you cannot blame people for thinking the VAR was involved.

The assistant on the far side of the field, Antonio Pupiro, had told the referee he had made a mistake.

On the replays you see Barton point towards Pupiro before changing the restart.

France coach Didier Deschamps was pictured in conversation with the other assistant, David Moran, who also pointed to the far side of the pitch to Pupiro.

You are far more likely to see a referee take an assistant's advice before giving a decision.

It is exceptionally rare to see a referee cancel a free-kick decision after they have given it. Usually a referee just owns it.

Image source, Getty Images

Just before we move on, there was one incident during last night's game that caused plenty of confusion.

That came late in the first half, when referee Ivan Barton appeared to cancel a free-kick just moments after penalising Fabian Ruiz for a foul on Ousmane Dembele.

If you're anything like me and are still scratching your head more than 12 hours later, don't worry. BBC Sport's Dale Johnson is on hand to explain what happened and how the referee came to overturn his initial decision.

• Excluding penalties, this was just France’s second defeat in a World Cup knockout stage match across their last 23, along with a 1-0 loss to Germany in 2014 at the quarter-final stage.
• As manager of France, Didier Deschamps has lost more games against Spain than any other nation (five).
• France have failed to record a first half shot on target in three of their seven 2026 World Cup games (vs Spain, Paraguay and Senegal) – it only happened in four of their prior 59 games in the competition on record (since 1966).

Image source, Getty Images

France forward Kylian Mbappe: "We were three against two in midfield, and against Spain that's hard.

"There was a lack of communication on the press. We should have done man-to-man press and forced them to run with us.

"When you don't do what you have to do in a World Cup semi-final, you don't win. Spain respected their gameplan and what the team usually does.

"They are better than us at controlling a game. We didn't manage to do it. We were too sloppy technically. We could not hurt them when we could have."

Image source, Getty Images

On the topic of underperforming, it seems Kylian Mbappe agrees France fell short last night.

The Real Madrid forward described the performance from himself and his team-mates as "sloppy".

Here's a bit of reaction from Mbappe...

It will be zero consolation but Deschamps, in charge since 2012, set a record in Dallas for most World Cup games managed - 26.

He previously shared the mark of 25 with ex-West Germany boss Helmut Schon.

Deschamps confirmed in January 2025 that he would step down after this summer's tournament and will mark his farewell game against the losers of England v Argentina in Miami on Saturday at 22:00 BST.

"It's not time to talk about the future," he said in his post-match news conference. "It is not important on a personal level whether I leave a competition in a semi-final or final.

"I am extremely happy. I am very proud of everything we've done to reach this stage and to win a World Cup - to take the French team to the highest level.

"I have been lucky as a player. I have enjoyed happy moments. Today is not such a moment. We must accept it without forgetting everything we experienced."

Image source, Getty Images

Gael Clichy
Former France defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

His legacy was that he took a team that was below par and he managed to bring that team back up to the top. This legacy of his really means we don't have to talk about what he should or could have done. What he has done for French football as a player and a coach is fantastic. It is phenomenal.

The guy who will come in behind Deschamps will find it hard. It won't be easy.

Image source, Getty Images

Didier Deschamps replaced Laurent Blanc as France's head coach in 2012 following their quarter-final exit in the European Championships. He has guided Les Bleus through seven major tournaments:

World Cup 2014: Quarter-final

Euro 2016: Final

World Cup 2018: Winners

Euro 2020: Round of 16

World Cup 2022: Final

Euro 2024: Semi-final

World Cup 2026: Semi-final

Image source, Getty Images

Olivier Giroud
Former France forward

There was extra motivation for all the players at this World Cup to give Didier the ending he wanted, and deserved.

He deserved to exit by the big door. He did not quite manage that but he is still a great, for what he has already done in his 14 years. His record does the talking for him.

He is like a second father for some players, like a second dad. For me it was not quite like that, but he gave me so many times his confidence, and I tried to repay him on the pitch.

This makes us very close and because we won that World Cup, we are linked forever. I always call him coach.

When you are in the national team, you don't have much time to work on tactics and each manager has their philosophy.

For Didier, his was more like 'you are big players, I leave you some freedom on the pitch'. He gave some instructions too of course, to keep the balance, so you always knew where each player would be.

The biggest thing he taught us was his desire, and his drive and ambition to be the absolute best and to win every single game. His competitive mindset was so clear."

Image source, Getty Images

Didier Deschamps is one of only three people to win the World Cup as a player and manager - alongside Brazil's Mario Zagallo and West Germany's Franz Beckenbauer.

His longevity as manager is also rare in the current era, having led the national team for 14 years.

He won 20 of his 26 World Cup games as France boss, only losing three times - including this defeat by Spain in Texas.

As a player or manager, he was involved in more than half of the games France won at World Cups - and the two times they lifted the trophy.

Only three teams before now have reached the quarter-finals at least in four successive tournaments.

They lost to Argentina on penalties in the 2022 final, coming desperately close to being only the third team to retain the World Cup.

Image source, Getty Images

Didier Deschamps' long, storied career with France will come to an end not how he would have wanted it - in Saturday's World Cup third-place play-off.

The dreams of the 57-year-old, who won the World Cup as both a player (in 1998) and a manager (in 2018), winning it a third time are over after their 2-0 defeat by Spain in Tuesday's first semi-final.

Having danced their way through the tournament with a series of impressive attacking displays, France managed just 10 shots all match in Dallas, their lowest total in the World Cup, with an expected goals of just 0.3 as they belied their pre-match tag of overwhelming favourites.

Image source, Getty Images

That's enough about Spain for the moment.

France's disappointing showing in Dallas ensured their quest for a third World Cup triumph came to an anticlimactic end.

It was certainly not the fairytale ending manager Didier Deschamps would have had in mind after more than a decade in charge of Les Bleus.

Image source, Getty Images

Spain's semi-final victory was Fabian Ruiz's 49th international appearance - and it continued a remarkable run.

The midfielder has never been on the losing side for Spain.

His 50th cap? Just the small matter of a World Cup final.

What an incredible statistic.

Image source, Getty Images

In his post-match news conference last night, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente said his players deserved to be in the final because of their "effort, talent, sacrifice" and their commitment to "trying to be a better version of ourselves".

"We've recaptured the spirit of 2010," he said. "The character of this team is evident in the fact that those who didn't play stayed behind to train after the match.

"This is a process, and it was all planned for us to reach this moment in the best shape possible."

Image source, Getty Images

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Dallas Stadium

Spain produced an absolute masterclass in control to secure their place in just their second World Cup final - leaving the rest of the world stunned at how France were blown away.

Les Bleus went into Tuesday's eagerly anticipated semi-final as overwhelming favourites having cruised through the tournament, with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise making them an attacking force to be feared.

But while many were questioning how France could be beaten, Spain reminded everyone why they are European champions and unbeaten in a record-equalling 37 matches by running out 2-0 winners.

Luis de la Fuente's men have rather flown under the radar at this World Cup - even failing to beat debutants Cape Verde in their opening match - and teenage superstar Lamine Yamal has scored just one goal.

But they appear to have hit peak form at the right time and, having kept a clean sheet in six of their seven games, can expect to be favourites for Sunday's World Cup final, where they will face either Argentina or England.

Image source, Getty Images