France booked their place in the UEFA Nations League semifinals after a dramatic 5-4 penalty shoot-out win over Croatia at the Stade de France on Sunday. The hosts overturned a 2-0 deficit from the first leg with goals from Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele before goalkeeper Mike Maignan stole the spotlight in the shoot-out.
Les Bleus came into the second leg needing a strong performance, and they delivered. Michael Olise opened the scoring, injecting belief into the home side early on. Ousmane Dembele doubled the advantage, levelling the aggregate score at 2-2 and igniting hopes of a comeback in front of a raucous crowd of 77,502.
Despite both teams pushing in extra time, neither could break the deadlock, sending the tie to a tense penalty shoot-out. That’s when Maignan stepped up, producing crucial saves from Martin Baturina and Josip Stanisic. Croatia’s Franjo Ivanovic also failed to convert, giving France the edge despite missed attempts by Jules Kounde and Theo Hernandez.
It fell to Dayot Upamecano, France’s seventh taker, to seal the win. His confident strike triggered scenes of jubilation among players and fans alike.
Maignan’s heroics marked a defining moment for the French side, who won the Nations League in 2021 and are now set to face reigning champions Spain in the semifinals on June 5 in Germany. The final will be held just three days later.
The match was a painful repeat of history for Croatia, who also lost on penalties to Spain in the 2023 Nations League final. Now, the Croatian team must quickly regroup as they turn their attention to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June. They’ll compete in Group L alongside the Czech Republic, Montenegro, the Faroe Islands, and Gibraltar.
France’s extended Nations League campaign means they will delay the start of their own World Cup qualifying efforts until September, when they enter Group D with Ukraine, Iceland, and Azerbaijan.
For now, Didier Deschamps and his men will savor this hard-fought victory, with Maignan emerging as the standout figure in a night full of drama, determination, and French flair.
