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Spain secured a 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup on July 10 at Los Angeles Stadium to advance to the semifinals where they will face France on Tuesday, according to FIFA’s official match report. Mikel Merino scored the winner in the 88th minute after substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens spilled a shot from Pau Cubarsi directly into his path. Fabian Ruiz had given Spain the lead with a goal in the 30th minute while Charles De Ketelaere equalized for Belgium in the 41st minute with a header. The result eliminates Belgium and sets up an all-European semifinal.
ESPN’s coverage of the match detailed how Spain dominated the second half after the teams went into the break level at 1-1. Thibaut Courtois started in goal for Belgium but was forced off with an injury leading to the introduction of Lammens who was at fault for the decisive goal. Lamine Yamal tested the Belgian defense repeatedly and created multiple opportunities as Spain recorded 2.08 expected goals compared to Belgium’s 0.38. The Spanish substitution of Merino proved decisive as he scored just minutes after entering the game.
This result represents Spain’s return to the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 2010 when they went on to win the tournament a FIFA historical review of past editions shows. The current Spanish squad has progressed through the group stage and prior knockout rounds with a blend of experienced players and emerging talents. Belgium had advanced from two of their previous three World Cup quarterfinals including a 2-1 win over Brazil in 2018 according to ESPN records.
The 2026 tournament is the first to feature an expanded field of 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four with the top two from each group and the eight best third-placed sides advancing to the round of 32 a format outlined by FIFA. This structure adds an extra knockout round requiring teams to win more matches to claim the title. Both Spain and Belgium successfully navigated their groups and the initial knockout stages to reach the quarterfinals in what has been a competitive edition of the competition.
FIFA data from the match showed Spain maintaining higher possession and creating more clear chances throughout the 90 minutes. Belgium began the second half brightly with efforts from De Cuyper and Kevin De Bruyne coming close before Spain regained control. The defeat ends the current World Cup run for a Belgian side that featured several veterans of their recent successful campaigns.
BBC Sport reported that pundits including Micah Richards and Wayne Rooney analyzed the error by Lammens that directly led to Spain’s winning goal. The match highlighted the importance of squad depth with Merino’s impact coming off the bench. Spain will now prepare for the semifinal against France as both teams seek to advance to the final of the 2026 tournament.
