Thanks to a goal in the 88th minute from super-sub Mikel Merino, Spain beat Belgium 2-1 in their quarter-final at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The win sets up a Spain vs France clash in the semi-final. In the first half, Fabian Ruiz gave Spain an 1-0 lead in the 30th minute before Charles De Ketelaere equalised in the 41st minute at Los Angeles. Spain have already knocked out Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
Conceding a goal against Belgium ended a proud record: Spain were the only team at the FIFA World Cup 2026 to not concede a goal at the tournament. De Ketelaere’s goal meant Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon’s record of not conceding in FIFA World Cup action ended at 650 minutes.
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Spain vs Belgium Football Live Score
This lofty standard of play clearly doesn’t scare Belgium, which is on a surging trajectory of its own heading into the teams’ World Cup quarter-final. While Spain has been Europe’s most consistent winner for the past 3 1/2 years, Belgium has played its way into position for what could be the final chance for its golden generation to do something spectacular together.
The tantalizing clash at SoFi Stadium matches a pre-tournament favorite and the reigning European champions against Belgium, which has never quite reached its full potential despite the big-money stars across its roster. The winner faces France in the Dallas area on Tuesday in the semifinals.
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Mikel Merino’s invisible intrusion pushes Portugal out of the World Cup
Mikel Merino celebrating his goal during Spain vs Portugal. (AP)
From the shadows pounced Mikel Merino. He was not in the place he was meant to be. Yet here he was. Wigging through half a space the tired Portuguese defenders had left unmarked. Latching onto a needle-through-an-eye pass of Ferran Torres and coaxing the ball past an unsuspecting Diogo Costa.
Merino is seldom the hero before a game, little reams of newsprint is spent on his utilitarian affinities to influence a game. But not for the first time, he made the difference for his team, the difference between an exhaustive extra time and potential tiebreaker. The difference between Cristiano Ronaldo living another day and bidding farewell to a tournament that seldom has been his.
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