Spain booked their place in the World Cup 2026 semifinals with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, as substitute Mikel Merino struck in the 88th minute to settle a tightly contested European quarterfinal. The result sets up a mouthwatering semifinal clash with France on July 14 in Dallas.
De la Fuente’s Midfield Gamble Pays Off
Luis de la Fuente made a bold tactical call before kick-off, dropping Pedri to the bench and starting Fabian Ruiz alongside Rodri in a double pivot. The decision raised eyebrows — Pedri had been one of Spain’s standout performers in the tournament — but the manager wanted greater physical presence and box-to-box thrust against a Belgian side built around Kevin De Bruyne’s creativity.
The move paid dividends on the half-hour mark. Lamine Yamal, deployed on the right wing, drifted inside to receive possession before threading a perfectly weighted through ball to Pedro Porro. The Tottenham right-back had surged forward from deep, exploiting the space behind Belgium’s left-back Maxim De Cuyper. Porro’s low cross found Dani Olmo, whose first-time effort was parried by Thibaut Courtois — but Fabian Ruiz, continuing his run from midfield, was first to the rebound. His shot took a deflection off a Belgian defender and looped into the net.
The goal was a product of Spain’s positional play at its finest: Yamal’s inverted movement, Porro’s overlapping run, Olmo’s late arrival in the box, and Ruiz’s anticipation. Every element of De la Fuente’s system clicked in that sequence.
Spain’s High Press and Possession Dominance
Throughout the first half, Spain’s 4-2-3-1 shape morphed into a 3-2-5 in possession, with Cubarsi stepping into midfield alongside Rodri and Ruiz, while the full-backs pushed high and wide. Yamal and Olmo operated in the half-spaces, constantly dragging Belgium’s defensive block out of shape.
The numbers told the story: Spain finished the match with 68% possession, 17 shots to Belgium’s 5, and 8 shots on target to Belgium’s 2. Their expected goals (xG) figure of 1.20 dwarfed Belgium’s 0.34. This was not a smash-and-grab — it was a systematic dismantling that only Courtois’s heroics kept competitive.
Belgium’s Equaliser: A Set-Piece Lesson
Belgium’s goal in the 41st minute came against the run of play, but it exposed a rare vulnerability in Spain’s defensive setup. Timothy Castagne’s cross from the right found Charles De Ketelaere, who had drifted between Pau Cubarsi and Aymeric Laporte. The Atalanta forward rose highest and powered a header past Unai Simon.
The goal ended Simon’s record-breaking run of 649 consecutive minutes without conceding at the World Cup — a streak that had surpassed Walter Zenga’s long-standing men’s record of 517 minutes. But more importantly, it gave Belgium a lifeline they scarcely deserved on the balance of play.
The Courtois Injury: A Tactical Earthquake
The match turned irreversibly in the 70th minute. Thibaut Courtois, who had made five saves and kept Belgium in the contest almost single-handedly, went down clutching his leg after a routine collection. He tried to continue after treatment, but lasted only a minute before signalling to the bench. The sight of the world’s best goalkeeper leaving the pitch in tears was devastating — not just emotionally, but tactically.
Senne Lammens, the 24-year-old backup with minimal international experience, was thrust into the cauldron. Spain immediately adjusted their approach, instructing Cubarsi and Laporte to shoot from distance at every opportunity. The logic was sound: test the inexperienced goalkeeper early and often.
Merino: The Substitute Specialist
De la Fuente waited until the 86th minute to introduce Merino, and the Arsenal midfielder needed just two minutes to make history. Pau Cubarsi, who had been increasingly adventurous in possession, unleashed a speculative effort from 25 yards. Lammens, perhaps unsettled by the occasion, could only parry the ball into a dangerous area. Merino, reading the situation perfectly, pounced on the rebound and slotted home.
This was Merino’s second consecutive knockout-stage winner as a substitute — he had scored the stoppage-time decider against Portugal in the Round of 16. No player in World Cup history had ever come off the bench to score the winning goal in two different knockout matches. Until now.
Belgium’s Golden Generation Bows Out
For Belgium, this defeat marks the end of an era. De Bruyne, at 35, is unlikely to feature in another World Cup. Romelu Lukaku was a peripheral figure throughout. Courtois’s injury adds a cruel twist to what was already a bittersweet farewell. The golden generation that promised so much — third place in 2018, quarterfinal exits in 2014 and 2026 — will forever be remembered for what might have been.
Yet there is dignity in how they fought. Down to their backup goalkeeper, out-possessed and out-shot, they took Spain to the 88th minute. That is no small achievement against a team that has now gone 36 consecutive matches without defeat in regular time.
Looking Ahead: France Awaits
Spain now face France in the semifinals — a clash of two European heavyweights with contrasting philosophies. France’s power and transition play versus Spain’s possession and positional control. Lamine Yamal, who turns 19 the day before the semifinal, will be the focal point of attention. But the real story may be Merino — the substitute who has become Spain’s most lethal weapon when it matters most.
