Mumbai, July 15 (IANS) Spanish superstar Antonio Banderas has congratulated Spain on reaching the World Cup final at FIFA, praising the national team’s unity, teamwork and unwavering belief.
Banderas shared a monochrome image of himself and penned a note on football, stating that it is a powerful reminder of the strength that comes from standing together.
The actor said: “Football. What a wonderful reminder of the power of this game to show us the value of teamwork, the strength that comes from standing together, and the confidence that grows when you truly believe in what you’re capable of.”
“What a beautiful lesson lies behind this match, and in the way our players have conducted themselves.I look forward to the final with the quiet smile of someone who feels proud of who they are, and grateful for the feeling of not standing alone. Congratulations, Spain!” he added.
Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro earned Spain a deserved 2-0 win over France at Dallas Stadium in their FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final at the Dallas Stadium on Wednesday.
This was France’s fourth defeat in the semi-finals of the World Cup (1958, 1982, 1986, 2026) in eight appearances. Moreover, this was the third consecutive elimination against Spain in the semi-finals of a competition after Euro 2024 (2-1) and the Nations League 2025 (5-4).
Spain will now face the England-Argentina victors at New Jersey Stadium in the final.
Spain kept their sixth clean sheet in seven matches at this tournament. They have conceded just two goals in North America. The record for a triumphant team in a World Cup is two, shared by France in 1998, Italy in 2006, and Spain in 2010.
Talking about Banderas, he made his acting debut at a small theater in Malaga, where he caught the attention of director Pedro Almodovar, who gave the actor his film debut in the screwball comedy Labyrinth of Passion in 1982.
After Labyrinth of Passion, he was seen in Matador, Law of Desire, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, The Skin I Live In, and Pain and Glory.
–IANS
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