Spain secured their place in the World Cup 2026 semi-finals, overcoming Belgium with a 2-1 victory. The win sets up a highly anticipated clash against France. The decisive goal came late in the match from Mikel Merino, who capitalised on an error by Belgium’s substitute goalkeeper, Senne Lammens.
Merino’s goal occurred just minutes after Lammens entered the game, replacing the injured Thibaut Courtois. Earlier in the match, Fabian Ruiz had opened the scoring for Spain. However, Charles De Ketelaere netted an equaliser for Belgium with a header, bringing the score level before Merino’s late intervention.
Spain’s Path to the Semi-Finals
The victory means Spain will face France in Dallas on July 14. This upcoming match is a significant step for Spain as they aim to reach their first World Cup final since their tournament win in 2010. The game against Belgium highlighted Spain’s patient approach, as they converted their best opportunities despite being contained for extended periods.
Luis de la Fuente, Spain’s coach, praised the team’s performance and their ability to seize opportunities. He noted that the team lives by the football cliché that it only takes a second to score a goal, or in this instance, two seconds and a fortunate mistake to score two. De la Fuente also reflected on the upcoming semi-final, describing it as a “final before the final” between two of the tournament’s top teams.
Spain’s captain, Rodri, played a central role in the midfield, demonstrating his assured and dominant style. He managed 118 touches and covered a significant amount of ground, with his leadership and precise passing expected to be crucial against France.
Goalkeeping Records and Player Contributions
Spain’s goalkeeper, Unai Simon, had an impressive run of six successive World Cup clean sheets dating back to the 2022 tournament. Before the match against Belgium, he had gone 609 World Cup minutes without conceding a goal, setting a new record for the longest period in World Cup history. De Ketelaere’s goal in the 41st minute ended Simon’s 649-minute clean sheet streak at this World Cup, establishing a new target of 650 minutes for other goalkeepers.
Simon had already surpassed the previous men’s World Cup record of 517 minutes, held by Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga from 1990. De la Fuente acknowledged Simon’s exceptional performance, noting that his record and milestone were outstanding and would likely stand for years. He also emphasised that Simon’s success is a team effort, highlighting the generosity and solidarity of his teammates.
Merino’s winning goal against Belgium marked his second instance of scoring the winning goal for Spain in a World Cup knockout match as a substitute, with the first being against Portugal in the Round of 16. De la Fuente described Merino as a complete player, capable of playing in multiple positions at a high level due to his understanding of the game and fantastic attitude.
Fabian Ruiz also demonstrated significant efficiency, having been directly involved in five goals across eight career starts for Spain in major tournaments, comprising three goals and two assists. His inclusion in the starting XI in place of Pedri was a decision that De la Fuente defended, stating that both Fabian and Pedri are among the best players in the world.
Belgium’s World Cup Exit and Team Sentiment
For Belgium, the defeat extends a pattern of losing four consecutive World Cup knockout ties against fellow European sides, excluding third-place play-offs. Their last victory against a European team at this stage was against Spain in 1986. The injury to Courtois was a significant moment, leading to the introduction of Lammens, who made his third international appearance.
The match also saw what appeared to be the final World Cup appearance for Kevin De Bruyne, a player described as graceful, creative, and powerful. His departure from the tournament will be felt by Belgium.
Meanwhile, Spain’s teenage forward, Lamine Yamal, has expressed confidence ahead of the potential match against France, stating that Spain is “better” than France. His comments follow Spain’s recent successes against France, including a 2-1 victory in the Euro 2024 semi-final, where Yamal became the youngest scorer in European Championship history, and a 5-4 win in a UEFA Nations League semi-final in June 2025. Yamal has been in exceptional form throughout the tournament, with notable performances through the quarter-final stage, including against Belgium.
De la Fuente has managed Spain for nearly 50 games, with only two losses during his tenure.
Read Also
- Manchester United's Ederson transfer faces uncertainty due to knee injury concerns
- Spain advance to semi-finals after late Mikel Merino strike against Belgium
- Belgium's 'golden generation' exits World Cup after Spain quarter-final defeat
- Norway and England prepare for World Cup quarter-final in Miami
Source: nytimes.com
You may also like
Joel Kavanagh is a Sports News Writer at News-GB. He started on a Midlands sports desk. He focuses on rugby union, golf and boxing and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Journalism from De Montfort University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Leicester, he plays amateur rugby and follows the fight calendar. “In sport news, the first ten minutes decide everything.”