Spain Beat Belgium 2-1 in World Cup Quarterfinal

Mikel Merino arrived from the bench in the 86th minute and needed only two touches to settle a 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal, scoring in the 88th minute to send Spain past Belgium 2-1 on Friday 11 July. The victory books Spain's place in the last four for the first time since winning the World Cup in 2010.

Merino's goal came from controlled opportunism. Pau Cubarsí launched a long shot that Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens could not hold and Merino pounced on the loose ball on his second touch to finish. Four days earlier he had come off the bench to eliminate Portugal in similar fashion.

"I've done this again, and it's happened to me again, so it would seem that coincidence exists. If you're ready and you try, I guess it can happen for you," Merino said. The Arsenal midfielder added: "Honestly, it's crazy to be able to help the team once again. I prepare for when the moment comes, and hopefully they keep coming."

Spain had taken the lead through Fabián Ruiz in the 30th minute with a rebound. Charles De Ketelaere, the Atalanta forward who had scored twice in Belgium's 4-1 group-stage win over co-host USA, muscled past Cubarsí to meet a Timothy Castagne cross with a precise header in the 41st minute. It was the first goal Spain had conceded in the 2026 World Cup, ending Unai Simón's run of 650 minutes without being beaten.

Spain's unbeaten competitive run now stretches to 37 matches since March 2023. Belgium had absorbed two significant blows before kick-off: captain Youri Tielemans was withdrawn after a warmup injury and defender Amadou Onana was sidelined. In the 71st minute, Thibaut Courtois was forced off after suffering an injury from a long kick.

The Real Madrid goalkeeper broke down in tears as coach Rudi Garcia made the substitution, a moment resonant for a player who has appeared in 21 World Cup matches, more than any other goalkeeper apart from Germany's Manuel Neuer. Senne Lammens, who plays for Manchester United, replaced him, becoming the first goalkeeper other than Courtois to represent Belgium across four consecutive World Cup tournaments.

Belgium's 18-match unbeaten run across all competitions ended with the defeat. Garcia assessed the loss: "We were on equal footing with Spain, and we have nothing to feel bad about. In the first half, they only had one chance, but they were very efficient. Unfortunately, to beat a team of this caliber, you need luck on your side as well."

Belgium mounted a late rally. Substitute Romelu Lukaku pressed Spain deep into injury time and an acrobatic clearance by Aymeric Laporte in the second minute of stoppage time snuffed out their best chance of an equaliser. Defender Brandon Mechele said: "We knew how we could hurt them, and I think we did this today. It's a pity that it ended like this, but I think we can be proud of the tournament we played."

Spain now face France in the semifinal on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. Neither side has lost at the 2026 World Cup. Spain coach Luis De La Fuente said: "It will be a clash of giants. We are capable of winning this game, and not just now, but I would have said this a few weeks ago as well. They are a great giant of football, but I trust our team."

Merino said: "We came here for this, to play against the best teams in the world. This is one of those games that you dream of when you're a kid, and now we have the chance to compete against a massive rival."