{"id":1387505,"date":"2025-06-06T08:46:37","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T07:46:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=features&#038;p=1387505"},"modified":"2025-06-06T08:46:38","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T07:46:38","slug":"spain-vs-france-tactical-analysis-defensive-breakdowns","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/spain-vs-france-tactical-analysis-defensive-breakdowns\/","title":{"rendered":"Spain vs France Tactical Analysis: How La Roja created defensive breakdowns to seal Nations League Final spot"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Defending <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/uefa-nations-league-betting-tips-predictions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Uefa Nations League<\/a> champions Spain booked their place in the final yet again after a 5-4 victory over France in Stuttgart.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Performance wise, it wasn\u2019t exactly as bad as the score (which was once 4-0 in favour of <em>La Roja<\/em>) indicated. Let\u2019s begin with a positive surprise from the French starting line-up.<\/p>\n\n\n    <div class=\"sq-toplist js-toplist-filters\">\n\t\t            <div class=\"sq-filter\">\n                <label role=\"button\" class=\"sq-btn--small js-filter-btn\">\n                    <input type=\"radio\" name=\"filters-group-1\" value=\"\"\n                           class=\"hidden-radio\" checked>\n\t\t\t\t\tAll                <\/label>\n\t\t\t\t                    <label role=\"button\" class=\"sq-btn--small js-filter-btn\">\n                        <input type=\"radio\" name=\"filters-group-1\"\n                               value=\"acca-offers\" class=\"hidden-radio\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAcca Offers                    <\/label>\n\t\t\t\t                    <label role=\"button\" class=\"sq-btn--small js-filter-btn\">\n                        <input type=\"radio\" name=\"filters-group-1\"\n                               value=\"daily-offer-boosts\" class=\"hidden-radio\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDaily 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class=\"sq-toplist__features-item\">Fun Social Media Content<\/li>\n                            <li class=\"sq-toplist__features-item\">New Bookmaker<\/li>\n                    <\/ul>\n                <\/div>\n\t                <div class=\"sq-toplist__item-tc\"><p>#AD 18+ New customers only. Bet \u00a310+ in a single real-money bet within 7 days of registration to receive \u00a310 in Free Bets credited within 24 hours of qualifying bet settlement. Free Bets Boosts expire 7 days after credit. Stake not returned. Promotional Terms Apply. \u00a018+.\u00a0\u00a0Gambleaware.org<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-france-s-gamble\">France&#8217;s gamble<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Didier Deschamps went away from his usual three-man midfield and took the risk of playing all four of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Desire Doue. It was a commendable effort to take the game to Spain instead of waiting around and hitting them on the counter-attack. Unfortunately for them, it backfired almost immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">France actually did get some positive moments in the start, pressing up high with the four players almost in line and immediately driving towards goal after recovering possession. They were exploring a lot of the Doue and Theo Hernandez combinations down the left, the opponent\u2019s weaker defensive side. But they stopped at some point, prioritising the other wing with Dembele, finding it more difficult to break through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was nice to see a team trying to take away what Spain love to do the most and getting them out of their comfort zone. But when they managed to break through this first \u2018wall\u2019, there was nowhere near enough resistance to protect the defence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u25c9 22&#39; Spain 1-0 France\u00a0<br>\u25c9 25&#39; Spain 2-0 France\u00a0<br>\u25c9 54&#39; Spain 3-0 France\u00a0<br>\u25c9 55&#39; Spain 4-0 France\u00a0<br>\u25ce 59&#39; Spain 4-1 France\u00a0<br>\u25c9 67&#39; Spain 5-1 France<br>\u25ce 79&#39; Spain 5-2 France<br>\u25ce 84&#39; Spain 5-3 France<br>\u25ce 90+3&#39; Spain 5-4 France<br><br>Incredible. ?<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NationsLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NationsLeague<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/B1e5H8RsRk\">pic.twitter.com\/B1e5H8RsRk<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Squawka_Live\/status\/1930732067207176596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 5, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-spain-win-the-midfield-battle\">Spain win the midfield battle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The \u2018midfield battle\u2019 is a classic footballing idea, but cliches are cliches for a reason. And what we saw in the opening hour was a prime example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes, a double pivot in midfield isn\u2019t enough to protect your own box even with a committed and hard-working team around it. But when it\u2019s Adrien Rabiot and Manu Kone surrounded by Mbappe, Dembele, Doue and Olise, it gets even harder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lamine Yamal has earned enough respect from his opponents to attract two defenders instantly every time he gets the ball. And Doue was one of them, so credit to him for actually participating in the defensive phase. But it usually meant there was more space in and around him and Theo Hernandez &#8211; and Rabiot wasn\u2019t there to provide cover in Spain\u2019s first goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yamal found a clean passing lane from the right wing to the middle of the box, where Mikel Oyarzabal had Ibrahima Konate under control, and just waited until Pierre Kalulu inexplicably doubled on him to put Nico Williams face-to-face with Mike Maignan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Lamine Yamal&#39;s game by numbers vs. France:<br><br>10\/12 duels won <br>10x possession won <br>6 touches in opp. box <br>5 shots <br>4 tackles <br>4 fouls won <br>3 chances created <br>2 shots on target <br>2 successful take-ons <br>2 goals<br>1 penalty won <br><br>WOW! ? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XOnMRVKaBf\">pic.twitter.com\/XOnMRVKaBf<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Squawka (@Squawka) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Squawka\/status\/1930732880491081895?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 5, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just three minutes later, Pedri beautifully manipulated France\u2019s man-marking to drag Rabiot way out of position, taking him from the heart of midfield to the right wing. Kone, who was just recovering from a slight knock, saw himself completely on his own against Mikel Merino and Oyarzabal dropping deep. The Spanish pair played a one-two and the Arsenal man scored to make it 2-0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rabiot was at fault again in the third goal, giving away the penalty that Yamal converted. And in the following minute, Spain had all of their players almost lined up parallel to the touchline, meaning that France would be next to each of them and nobody would be positioned in the middle of the pitch. Merino dropped deep to attract Konate and open up space for Pedri to infiltrate &#8212; though the exquisite first touch was probably not part of the script &#8212; and another one-two, this time with Williams, led to a fourth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-game-over-not-really\">Game over (not really?)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">France got one back but Yamal eventually scored his second of the night to restore Spain\u2019s four-goal cushion, which led many (including manager Luis de la Fuente) to believe the game was over. The Spanish manager, who had already subbed off Nico Williams and Pedri, also removed Oyarzabal from the field, leading to a slightly alternate side ending the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On top of Spain&#8217;s understandably laid-back approach with a 5-1 lead, France recognised the changes and pounced, scoring three times in the final 15 minutes to make it 5-4. Rayan Cherki, specifically, caused all sorts of trouble, roaming freely in the attacking half. The Lyon youngster ended his international debut for France with one goal and one assist in under half an hour. He also registered created three chances, two of which were big chances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Rayan Cherki&#39;s game by numbers vs. Spain:<br><br>27 mins played <br>18\/19 passes completed<br>3 chances created <br>2 big chances created <br>2 duels won <br>2 fouls won <br>1 shot on target <br>1 goal <br>1 assist <br><br>A goal and an assist on his senior debut for France. \u26bd\ufe0f?\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/9xeQrVs5SD\">pic.twitter.com\/9xeQrVs5SD<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Squawka (@Squawka) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Squawka\/status\/1930737046559117459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 5, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But in the end, the damage was already done and Spain advanced to the Uefa Nations League Final for the second straight edition, defeating Croatia on penalties in 2023 to claim the trophy. And let\u2019s not forget they followed that up by winning the European Championship and the Olympic Games in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This could be shaping up to be yet another Spanish dynasty in European &#8212; possibly world &#8212; football, and who knows where it will stop, with their main three players (Yamal, Pedri and Williams) all 22 years old or younger. Unbeaten in over a year with 15 wins and four draws in their last 19 games, Spain are sending clear signs of being one of or even the favourites to win it all in the 2026 World Cup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But for now, an Iberian duel awaits with Portugal on the other side of the 2025 Nations League Final.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/\"><strong>Latest football news<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football betting tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best betting sites<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/best-free-bet-offers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best free bet offers<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/accumulator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football accumulator tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Defending Uefa Nations League champions Spain booked their place in the final yet again after a 5-4 victory over France in Stuttgart. Performance wise, it wasn\u2019t exactly as bad as the score (which was once 4-0 in favour of La Roja) indicated. Let\u2019s begin with a positive surprise from the French starting line-up. France&#8217;s gamble&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3354,"featured_media":1387508,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Spain sealed their place in the 2025 Uefa Nations League Final with a thrilling 5-4 victory over France. But how did they do it?","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"features-category":[],"squawka-category":[],"class_list":["post-1387505","features","type-features","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Spain vs France Tactical Analysis: How La Roja created defensive breakdowns to seal Nations League Final spot | Squawka | EN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Spain sealed their place in the 2025 Uefa Nations League Final with a thrilling 5-4 victory over France. 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