Did Lamine Yamal get away with handball? Why Spain's penalty stood against France

Spain's 2-0 victory over France in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final was shaped by a key first-half decision that quickly became one of the most debated moments of the tournament. Lamine Yamal won a penalty that gave Spain the lead, but replays sparked widespread discussion over whether the move should have been halted for a possible handball in the build-up.The incident that changed the semi-finalThe decisive moment arrived in the 22nd minute at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. France defender Lucas Digne initially attempted to control a loose ball inside his own penalty area before trying to clear it at the second attempt.As Digne swung his right foot, Yamal darted across his blind side and reached the loose ball first. Instead of making clean contact with the ball, Digne caught the Spain winger in the thigh and torso inside the area.