Spain defeats Belgium 2-1 to reach World Cup 2026 semifinal
On July 10, 2026, at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Spain defeated Belgium 2‑1 in the World Cup quarter‑finals. Fabían Ruiz opened the scoring for Spain in the 30th minute, while Belgium equalised through Charles De Ketelaere eleven minutes later. In the second half, Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois left the field with a thigh injury and was replaced by Senne Lammens. Mikel Merino, introduced as a substitute in the 86th minute, seized a rebound from Lammens after a long‑range effort and scored in the 88th minute, securing Spain’s place among the tournament’s final four. The Spanish side, coached by Luis de la Fuente, will meet France in the semifinal in Dallas. The victory also extended Spain’s unbeaten run, bringing them close to the international record of 37 consecutive matches without loss. Merino’s late heroics echo his decisive substitute goal against Portugal in the round of 16.