France 0-2 Spain: How Fabian Ruiz and Olmo were crucial in sending Spain to the World Cup final

Spain eliminated France in the World Cup 2026 semi-final with a 2-0 win on Tuesday. Despite a relatively balanced possession contest, Spain's midfield was once again the decisive factor — and, perhaps most strikingly, Pedri was not in the starting lineup.

The Barcelona star is one of the finest midfielders in world football, but he was left on the bench for the quarter-final against Belgium and again passed over in favour of Fabian Ruiz. De la Fuente's decision proved correct once more.

What Spain gain in midfield without Pedri was decisive against France

Leaving Pedri out clearly costs the side some of its finest qualities: the Barcelona man is one of the most sophisticated interpreters of positional play in the game, consistently identifying where the structural advantages lie and making the right decision at the right moment. It is largely thanks to him that Spain retain the ball with purpose and create width and verticality in their play.

However, certain matches demand a different approach. Against an opponent as physically imposing as France, Pedri might have been exposed — particularly in the kind of open, combative, transition-heavy contest that Tuesday's semi-final became.

Fabian Ruiz operates differently. He is a midfielder of genuine quality on the ball and capable of sustaining Spain's possession-based style, but at 189cm he also brings the physical presence to dominate central areas.

That is precisely what the number eight delivered. He won the ball back seven times, won five of his six defensive duels and committed just one foul — all against technically gifted opponents in Olise and Dembele, alongside physically demanding figures such as Tchouameni and Rabiot. It was a demanding environment and he thrived in it.

Beyond his defensive contributions, Ruiz remained important in Spain's offensive organisation. As Cucurella pushed forward, Ruiz would drop back to offer a free passing option, while also constantly moving to occupy the spaces between France's defensive lines.

On the ball, his most telling contribution came through ball-carrying. Spain could not always sustain prolonged passing sequences, and Ruiz's capacity to hold the ball under pressure and drive forward became a key outlet. The numbers reflect that importance: 22 carries across the match covering 163 metres, with 71 of those progressive. Despite being substituted in the 78th minute, he registered 83 touches — the most of any Spain player except Aymeric Laporte's 86 across a full 90.

Rodri provides the platform and Olmo has the freedom — a versatile midfield for Spain at the World Cup

Having Ruiz alongside Rodri also transforms Spain's midfield into a combination of technical quality and physical solidity. Rodri is one of football's great ball-retaining midfielders — exceptional at reading advantage and timing his passes — but he is also a 191cm defensive powerhouse.

Against France, Rodri won seven of his 12 individual duels and won all four of his aerial contests. His influence on Spain's play is well established, but pairing him with a second physically imposing and more athletic midfielder raised Spain's defensive ceiling further.

In front of them, the partnership still relies on Dani Olmo, who has been a joy for admirers of creative central midfielders — even if he is not the static, stylised number ten of a previous era. The Barcelona midfielder has considerable freedom to read where space exists and fill it.

That spatial intelligence serves him in both phases of play. Olmo dropped into the holding midfield line to assist in build-up, often appearing as the free man in front of France's flat 4-4-2 defensive block; and he pushed into the final third, occupying the spaces vacated by Oyarzabal operating as a false nine, positioning between the lines and tucking wide when opportunities emerged.

Olmo is a naturally associative and technically gifted player. His freedom allowed him to link with Lamine Yamal and create numerical superiority, find passes in behind or make his own runs when a team-mate drew the marker. And in the build-up to Porro's second goal, it was Olmo — dropping between the centre-backs — who acted as the pivot from which the decisive assist originated.

If Ruiz in place of Pedri made Spain's midfield more physical without sacrificing their quality on the ball, it is Olmo who gives their attacking dynamics their creative irreverence. And it is the conviction of Luis de la Fuente in those choices that has taken Spain to the World Cup final.