Laporte: Spain won’t celebrate until World Cup is won

Spain defender Aymeric Laporte has revealed that the Spanish squad refused to celebrate their semi-final victory over France, insisting that anything short of lifting the World Cup trophy will be considered a failure.

Speaking to Marca just hours before Sunday’s final against Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Laporte said: “We didn’t celebrate in the locker room after beating France because we don’t want to do things halfway”. The centre-back added: “Anything other than winning the World Cup will be a huge blow for us. Until we achieve what we believe is ours, we can’t celebrate”.

Spain booked their place in the final with a 2-0 victory over France in Dallas on Tuesday, with Mikel Oyarzabal converting a first-half penalty and Pedro Porro adding a second after the break. It marked the third consecutive summer in which Spain have eliminated France in a tournament semi-final.

Yet there was no champagne, no locker-room dancing – just a pointed reminder that the job remains unfinished. Laporte explained that the squad’s muted reaction has drawn surprise on social media, particularly when compared to Argentina’s famously boisterous celebrations in previous tournaments. But he insisted the restraint reflects hunger, not indifference.

“Since I arrived here, we’ve always had that calmness,” Laporte said. “The other day, when we beat France, we celebrated in the dressing room, but it wasn’t crazy because our objective isn’t to beat France – it’s to win the tournament”.

The 32-year-old’s words carry particular weight given his personal history. Born in Agen, France, Laporte represented France at every youth level from Under-17 to Under-21. But after never receiving a senior cap, he was granted Spanish citizenship in 2021 and switched allegiance to La Roja. He has since won the 2024 European Championship and the 2023 UEFA Nations League with Spain.

In Tuesday’s semi-final, Laporte became the first player in World Cup history to defeat his country of birth in a semi-final. Alongside 19-year-old Pau Cubarsí, he helped nullify Kylian Mbappé – who failed to register a single shot on target.

Spain have been the tournament’s defensive bedrock, conceding just one goal in seven matches – a record that could see them establish the fewest goals conceded by a World Cup-winning campaign. Laporte’s calm authority has been a decisive factor in that achievement.

“A lot of people didn’t believe in us from the beginning, but we believed in ourselves,” Laporte said. “Completing only half the mission isn’t enough for us”.

Spain face defending champions Argentina on Sunday (3pm ET, Fox). The world’s top two ranked nations will collide in what promises to be a fitting conclusion to the 2026 World Cup.

For Laporte and his teammates, only one outcome will suffice. “We have a winning mentality,” he said. “Until we achieve what we believe is ours, we can’t celebrate”.