Thibaut Courtois forced off in tears as Belgium loses to Spain in World Cup quarter‑final

In the World Cup quarter‑final at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles, on 10 July 2026, Belgium faced Spain. Mid‑fielder Youri Tielemans suffered a last‑minute injury during the warm‑up and was replaced by Hans Vanaken before kickoff.

During the match, Spain took the lead through Fabian Ruiz in the 30th minute. Belgium equalised via Charles De Ketelaere a minute before halftime. In the second half, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois felt a thigh injury at the 71st minute, left the field in tears and was substituted by Senne Lammens. Shortly after, Mikel Merino scored the winner for Spain, giving a 2‑1 victory and sending Spain to the semi‑final against France while eliminating Belgium. Courtois’ exit raised questions about whether the tournament would be his final World Cup appearance.