Episode details
World Service,15 Jul 2026,23 mins
Available for over a year
Spain produced a masterclass in control to beat pre-tournament favourites France 2-0 in Dallas and secure their place in just their second World Cup final.
BBC football reporter John Bennett tells Lee James why the performance of the European champions is one of the best he’s ever seen at a World Cup. Spanish football journalist Ernest Macia explains why their current midfield, led by Rodri, can be compared to that of Xavi and Andrés Iniesta – the engine room of their 2010 World Cup winning side.
French football journalist Sara Menai explains where it all went wrong for Didier Deschamps’ side, while South American football expert Tim Vickery looks ahead to the second semi-final between defending champions Argentina and 1966 winners England. More than the Score’s Delyth Lloyd joins the show from New York, where the atmosphere ahead of Sunday’s final is building.
More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup – the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper – from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
