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Spain 2-1 Belgium | World Cup Quarterfinal | July 10, 2026 | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Mikel Merino came off the bench to do what he does so well, score a meaningful late goal, and Spain beat Belgium 2-1 in a World Cup quarterfinal Friday at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California. The reigning European champions needed a goalkeeper error and a substitute’s composure to finally break Belgian hearts, but their passage to the semifinals was fully deserved across 90 minutes of entertaining football. Spain will now face France in Dallas in what promises to be one of the great World Cup semifinals.
Drama Before Kickoff: Two Belgium Starters Gone
The match produced off-field drama even before the first whistle. Belgium started the quarterfinal in California without captain Youri Tielemans, who suffered an injury during warmup. Tielemans, Belgium’s midfield organizer, was replaced before the game even started. That was just the beginning of Belgium’s injury problems on what became a painful evening for the Red Devils.
GOAL 1 — Fabián Ruiz, 30′: Spain Break the Deadlock
Spain controlled the first half from the outset. Lamine Yamal was at the heart of La Roja’s attacking play, constantly troubling Belgium’s backline with his pace and creativity. Spain had threatened throughout the opening half before finally breaking the deadlock in the 30th minute.
Fabián Ruiz reacted quickest after the Belgian goalkeeper parried an initial effort, tapping home the rebound to give Luis de la Fuente’s side a deserved lead. Dani Olmo fired the original effort and Ruiz was first to the rebound inside the area. Spain celebrated a goal that reflected exactly what the first 30 minutes had shown — control, intent, and a clinical edge in the final third.
GOAL 2 (Belgium) — Charles De Ketelaere, 40′: Belgium Hit Back
Belgium responded in a way that silenced any Spanish celebrations settling in too quickly. Belgium, however, responded before the interval as Charles De Ketelaere rose highest to head home a pinpoint cross in the 40th minute, ensuring the teams went into halftime level at 1-1.
It was a brilliant header from the Belgian forward, and it came from very little. Belgium had done well to stay in the game despite Spain’s dominance, and their reward was a stunning equalizer that kept the quarterfinal completely open heading into the second half.
Second Half: A Frantic Battle With No Clear Winner
The second half was full of chances at both ends but failed to produce a goal for long stretches. The intensity went up a fair few notches in the second, with chances aplenty at both ends and a number of near-misses.
Ferran Torres and Pedri checked into the game at the 55th minute for Alex Baena and goal scorer Ruiz. Belgium also went close through their wide players. Doku and Kevin De Bruyne worked a 1-2 and the ball ended up with Maxim De Cuyper, who smashed into the outside of the netting.
Spain responded with their own near misses. Yamal, Oyarzabal, and Yamal again tested both Courtois and his injury-enforced replacement Lammens in the Belgian net, with Spain unable to find a way through until a crucial change was made late on.
Courtois Forced Off: A Game-Changing Moment
The defining moment of the second half arrived not from a goal but from an injury. Belgium lost goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to injury in the second half. Senne Lammens came on for only his 3rd senior cap for Belgium.
The significance of that substitution cannot be overstated. Courtois had been one of Belgium’s most important players throughout the tournament, and losing him at this stage of a quarterfinal placed enormous pressure on an inexperienced replacement in front of a packed crowd in Los Angeles.
GOAL 3 — Mikel Merino, 88′: The Super Sub Strikes Again
Spain also made a change as Merino came on for the last 5 minutes. What followed became one of the most talked-about moments of the tournament. Just when things were drifting towards extra time, Senne Lammens dropped a clanger in the Belgium goal and Mikel Merino tapped in from close range to give Spain a 2-1 lead.
Merino’s introduction proved inspired as he popped up to score the winner just one minute and 57 seconds after coming off the bench, turning home the rebound of a Cubarsi shot which Lammens spilled into his path at close range. Senne Lammens will be reflecting long and hard on his error that has potentially gifted Spain a semifinal spot.
It was the second time Merino had scored a crucial late goal at this World Cup. Famously, he had already found the net in the 91st minute to beat Portugal in the Round of 16. His capacity for decisive moments off the bench has made him one of the stories of Spain’s tournament.
Belgium Push Desperately in Stoppage Time
Simon goes up for it but spills the ball under pressure from Lukaku, who is penalised for a foul on the goalkeeper just as Cubarsi desperately sweeps it clear. Romelu Lukaku sends a pass into the box, but the ball is intercepted and cleared. Aymeric Laporte is shown a yellow card for his foul. Spain held on through a chaotic closing period, and the final whistle triggered wild celebrations in the Spanish camp.
The Stats Behind Spain’s Victory
Spain dominated large spells and made good on their 2.08 xG, while Belgium produced just 0.38 xG in total despite their spirited second-half pressure. The numbers confirm what the eye test showed throughout: Spain controlled the contest, created the better chances, and deserved their place in the last four despite the nervy finish.
With this win, Spain became the first nation with six straight World Cup clean sheets before Belgium’s equalizer ended that run. Even so, Unai Simon’s record of 609 minutes without conceding before De Ketelaere’s header confirmed just how extraordinary Spain’s defensive record at this tournament has been.
Spain Head to the Semifinals
La Roja held out for the next ten minutes to book their place in the 2026 semifinals, sending Belgium packing to set up another all-European clash against back-to-back finalists France in a potential epic on Tuesday.
Spain comes into this match unbeaten in 35 straight games since March 2024, tying the longest undefeated run in team history. It aims to be the third reigning European champion to win the World Cup, after 1974 West Germany and 2010 Spain. For Belgium, their golden generation’s World Cup journey ends in heartbreak. A 2-1 defeat and a goalkeeper error denied them what would have been a first-ever World Cup semifinal since their third-place finish in Russia in 2018.
