FIFA World Cup 2026 | Quarter-Final | Friday, 10 July 2026 Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium), Inglewood, California | Referee: TBC
One minute and 57 seconds. That is how long Mikel Merino had been on the pitch when he scored the winner.
He came on in the 86th minute. A Cubarsi shot was spilled by Senne Lammens — Belgium’s backup goalkeeper, on only because Thibaut Courtois had pulled his left thigh in the second half. The ball sat up in front of Merino. He turned it home. Spain 2-1 Belgium. Into the semi-finals. Against France on Tuesday.
And it had been Merino who scored the winner against Portugal in the round of 16 too. He is becoming the most important substitute at this World Cup.
Tielemans did not make kick-off. The Belgium captain, who had been the hero against Senegal with that 125th-minute penalty, stretched his hamstring in the warm-up and was ruled out before a ball had been kicked. Belgium lost their captain and their heartbeat in the most brutal fashion — not through a challenge or a foul, just a warm-up movement that went wrong. Kevin De Bruyne inherited the armband. Raskin replaced Tielemans in the starting eleven.
Belgium actually started the brighter side. De Cuyper went close from a free-kick that had Unai Simón worried. De Bruyne found pockets in the first fifteen minutes that they had not been finding against Iran and USA. For a team whose best player had just collapsed in the warm-up, the collective response in the opening period was impressive.
Spain settled and took control. Fabián Ruiz scored in the 30th minute off a deflection from Lammens — a routine shot that squirmed through the goalkeeper’s hands and crept in. Not a great moment for Lammens, who had come on for Courtois by this point. Not a great omen. One-nil.
Belgium responded almost immediately. De Ketelaere headed home in the 41st minute. A proper goal. A proper response. Belgium back level heading into the break. The first goal Spain had conceded at this entire World Cup — in their seventh match, their sixth clean sheet broken in the 41st minute of a quarter-final.
The second half was Spain’s but Belgium held. Yamal tested Lammens. Oyarzabal had chances. Spain’s 2.08 xG against Belgium’s 0.37 tells you who was the better side. Courtois, when he was on the pitch, had been the difference — “as sharp as ever,” one report noted, before the thigh gave way. Lammens is a fine goalkeeper at club level. This was different.
A Laporte clearance in the second half saved Spain enormous embarrassment — Simón had come way off his line for a cross that never arrived. A better delivery from Saelemaekers and Spain would have been in all sorts of trouble. Moments like that kept Belgium alive in the second half.
Then Merino. One minute and 57 seconds on the pitch. Cubarsi’s shot. The spill. The rebound. 2-1. Ten minutes remaining. Spain held. Belgium could not find the equaliser. The final whistle ended the Golden Generation’s last competitive act.
The records around the game tell the story. Spain’s xG was 2.08. Belgium’s 0.37. Spain had eight shots on goal, Belgium two. Spain controlled 68% of the ball. They were the better team. The scoreline reflected that. The manner of the winning goal — a substitute on for under two minutes scoring from a goalkeeper error — means it will always carry a footnote.
But Spain do not care about footnotes. They are in the World Cup semi-final. The first time since 2010 when they won the whole thing. France on Tuesday. In Arlington. The European champions versus the world’s best team of the last month. It deserves to be a final. It is not.
The Red Devils exit the tournament with something to show for their summer despite the late heartbreak. Belgium scored in every knockout match. They came from 2-0 down against Senegal. They did not fold when Tielemans collapsed in the warm-up. They took the lead against Spain at half-time. De Ketelaere, De Bruyne, Lukaku — they gave everything. It was not enough.
For live World Cup scores and semi-final coverage, visit fawanews.org.uk. Full results and bracket at the official FIFA World Cup website.
Spain 2-1 Belgium FIFA World Cup 2026, Quarter-Final | Friday, 10 July 2026 Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium), Inglewood, California
Goals: Fabián Ruiz 30′ (Spain — deflection from Lammens), Charles De Ketelaere 41′ (Belgium — header), Mikel Merino 88′ (Spain, sub — rebound from spilled Cubarsi shot)
Injury: Thibaut Courtois — left thigh, warm-up, replaced by Senne Lammens before kick-off. Youri Tielemans — hamstring, warm-up, did not play.
Spain (4-2-3-1): Simón; Porro, Cubarsi, Vivian, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri (Merino 86′); Yamal, Ruiz, Morata (Olmo 79′); Oyarzabal
Belgium: Lammens (for Courtois — injured before KO); De Cuyper, Theate, Faes, Castagne; Raskin, De Bruyne; Trossard, De Ketelaere, Doku; Lukaku
Stats: Possession Spain 68% — Belgium 32% | Shots on Target 8-2 | xG Spain 2.08 — Belgium 0.37 | First goal conceded by Spain in seven World Cup matches | Half-time: 1-1
Semi-final: Spain vs France (AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas — Tuesday 15 July)
