“Let me loose in a prison and I’ll end up owning the place,” Pedro Porro once remarked. Now, let him into the penalty area, and it will become his domain as well. When the Spanish right-back charged into the box, capitalizing on Dani Olmo’s brilliant pass, he composed himself and slotted the ball into the net, scoring the second goal in Dallas. With half an hour remaining in this semi-final, Spain’s victory felt inevitable. They were confident, as if they had always been destined for this moment.
After scoring, Porro celebrated by kissing the badge and sprinting towards the corner flag, with teammates rushing from the bench to join him. He had been tasked with neutralizing Kylian Mbappé, the tournament’s leading scorer and part of a formidable French attack, likened to the four horsemen of the apocalypse. However, Porro exhibited unwavering determination and, when it mattered most, he was the one to strike decisively. That brief moment of instinct was monumental, ensuring Spain’s place in the World Cup final.
This marked Porro’s second goal of the tournament; notably, he has outscored opponents. Before the semi-final, he was asked about balancing offensive and defensive duties, to which he responded, “It depends on who you’re playing: against Belgium I was basically with [Jérémy] Doku all game. I only really went forward once,” adding, “Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this,” A clever move indeed. Here, he ventured forward once more, and it will forever be remembered. “We knew one of the keys was keeping the ball,” he reflected.
Spain had foreseen this outcome. There was an unmistakable sense of assurance when Porro netted the second goal. Not only did it double their lead, but it also signaled their control over the match. They executed their game plan flawlessly. If he was on the pitch to defend, he fulfilled that duty too. The entire team demonstrated dominance, not through heroics but through tactical mastery. “Few things in football make me nervous,” Pau Cubarsí noted. France had struggled to threaten them, and they were confident it would remain that way, provided they played to their strengths.
Spain maintained their composure throughout the match. Unai Simón’s save from Ousmane Dembélé in the 94th minute was only France’s second shot on target. Spain had conceded just once throughout the tournament, showcasing a collective effort without flaws. Their ability to seize and maintain the lead was evident in how they managed the remainder of the game, exhibiting a calmness reminiscent of the moment when Mikel Oyarzabal converted the penalty that initiated their journey.
Of all the players who could have taken the penalty that put Spain ahead, Oyarzabal was the ideal choice. “We knew that with calm we could hurt them,” he remarked recently, and penalties do not faze him. He has a flawless record in finals, including the decisive goal against England at the Euros two years prior. He scored from the spot, helping Real Sociedad secure their first Copa del Rey title in 34 years, and had successfully converted 89.65% of his penalties prior to this match.
The quiet man executed the penalty with the same conviction and assurance that characterized Spain’s performance throughout the game. “This isn’t mine, it is all 26 of us” Oyarzabal stated. With one decisive break, they sealed the deal. Exhausted, Porro was substituted late in the game. From the bench, he witnessed Spain finish it off to a chorus of celebratory “olés,” embodying a sense of complete dominance.
In the stands, legends such as Xavi Hernández, Iker Casillas, Carles Puyol, and Sergio Ramos watched the spectacle. When Spain triumphed in the 2010 World Cup, Porro celebrated by jumping into the fountain in Plaza de España in Don Benito. He was just a 10-year-old boy then, with parents who struggled to make ends meet, and his grandfather Antonio who took him everywhere. Now, just a day after Antonio’s birthday, he and his peers are on the verge of replicating that historic success.
“This isn’t mine; it is all 26 of us,” Porro declared. This victory belonged to him, Marc Cucurella, Aymeric Laporte, and Cubarsí, their exceptionally talented 19-year-old. To Rodri, who was performing at another level alongside Fabián Ruiz. To all the men who have endured a month on the road and have one final match ahead, the “family,” as the coach refers to them, who made France appear ordinary. They may not be superstars, with Lamine Yamal as an exception, but this victory was a triumph for the hardworking players. Spain played as Spain, just as Luis de la Fuente had envisioned. “Tranquility is power,” he often says, but occasionally, when the moment calls for it, it is essential to unleash their potential.
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