​ARLINGTON, TEXAS — It was supposed to be the last step before a coronation for a French king, but Spain’s collective had other ideas.France’s dreams of a third-straight World Cup final and a second title in nine years are done, death by a thousand cuts — or passes — and Kylian Mbappe will not be inspiring international GOAT debates for at least a bit longer.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMORE — France vs Spain live updates, reaction, video highlightsThat’s how quickly a tournament can change storylines. France entered the game as unquestioned favorites and Spain eliminated them from a third-straight tournament.Attention will turn to the prince — Lamine Yamal just turned 19 on Monday — but this was about the team. Spain is daring its fans to dream of a second dynastic run this century.A number of fans wore shirts adorned with the Mbappe “dictator” meme, and one fan even wore a France #10 shirt with “Dictator” above the number.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe fierce competitor is likely to stand alone as the World Cup’s all-time leading goal scorer one day and he’s drawn comparisons to the very best to ever do it in a French shirt: Thierry Henry, Michel Platini, and Zinedine Zidane.And at his relatively tender age, another World Cup win would dare fans to call him the very best.”If France win the World Cup this year, I think he’ll be the greatest player ever for the World Cup,” said Hugo Naulot, a Normandy-born fan who now lives in California. “So I think he has the chance to become the best World Cup player ever this summer.”And he’s only 27. He’s up there. He’s won a World Cup and been a vice champion. If you’re talking performance for his country, he’s probably the best of all-time.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNicholas Theodorowicz is the son of a Frenchman from Arizona and says a World Cup win would do it — and that elders like his father wouldn’t debate that.”Absolutely,” Theodorowicz said. “He’s so close to breaking the all-time goal record and if he wins this, he’s already got it.”Mbappe’s eight goals in this semifinal run are another sparkling bit for his resume, and he’s no doubt a living legend despite being two years and five months from his 30s.Yet this season saw a countryman — Ousmane Dembele — beat him to a first Ballon d’Or and La Liga’s crown. And neither will win the World Cup despite status as the most talented, deepest team in the world.France v Spain: Semi Final – FIFA World Cup 2026Yamal won a penalty a day after his birthday and some will call it a belated gift as he was kicked by Lucas Digne in the box.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe’s an incredible player despite not having a starring role in this tournament, but stats show a player who hadn’t been getting the rub of the green.Yamal has just one goal — and it came early in this World Cup, but his 2.8 xG+xA trails only Mikel Oyarzabal on Spain.It’s fitting, however, that this Spain team that has flown under the radar