Belgium’s dream dies late as Merino pounces on Lammens error to seal Spain’s semi-final spot

Spain beat Belgium 2-1 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles on 10 July 2026. Fabian Ruiz scored first in the 30th minute, Charles De Ketelaere equalised just before half-time, and substitute Mikel Merino grabbed a late winner in the 88th minute. Spain now face France in the semi-finals in Dallas.

Mikel Merino has done it again! Two games in a row, two substitute appearances, two match-winning goals in the final minutes. For Belgium, it was a gutting exit. It was made even more painful by a Thibaut Courtois injury, a tense second half, and a goalkeeper mistake that handed Spain a win they had to work hard for.

A crowd of 70,000 packed SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles expecting a thriller. The match never quite hit those heights, but there was plenty of drama to keep everyone on the edge of their seats. Belgium made Spain work much harder than expected, but Luis de la Fuente’s side found a way through, as they so often do.

Spain now go on to face tournament favourites France in the semi-final in Dallas on Tuesday. Their unbeaten competitive run has stretched to 36 matches, which is a new national record. It began after a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in March 2024. Two wins stand between them and lifting the World Cup trophy. Right now, it is hard to see anyone stopping them.

Belgium Hit by a Big Blow Before Kick-Off: Tielemans Injured in the Warm-Up

Belgium’s preparations were thrown into chaos before a single ball was kicked. Captain Youri Tielemans pulled up during the warm-up with a hamstring injury. The Belgian FA had to make a last-minute change to the starting lineup. Hans Vanaken came in to replace him, and Kevin De Bruyne took over as captain.

It was a big setback. Tielemans had been one of Belgium’s best players throughout the tournament, and losing him just minutes before kick-off disrupted whatever plans manager Domenico Tedesco had prepared. Jeremy Doku also came into the side, with Dodi Lukebakio dropping to the bench. That was at least a boost for the attack.

Spain had a surprise of their own. Luis de la Fuente left Pedri, one of the most talented players at the tournament, on the bench. Fabian Ruiz came in to complete a midfield trio alongside Rodri and Dani Olmo. It was a brave decision, and one that turned out to be very important.

Spain (4-3-3): Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, Dani Olmo; Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena, Mikel Oyarzabal

Belgium (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper, Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy; Kevin De Bruyne, Hans Vanaken, Nicolas Raskin; Leandro Trossard, Charles De Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku

First Half: Fabian Ruiz Puts Spain in Front

Spain were clearly the better side in the first 30 minutes. They were calm, controlled, and doing what they always do: keeping the ball and making the other team chase shadows. Belgium pressed hard, with De Bruyne working well in midfield and Doku causing trouble down the left, but they could not get close enough to threaten Unai Simon.

The goal came in the 30th minute, and it was a really well-worked move. Pedro Porro drove down the right flank and cut the ball back into a dangerous area. Dani Olmo got a shot away, but Courtois did well to parry it. The rebound fell perfectly for Fabian Ruiz, who kept his cool and drilled it into the net.

It was a calm, clinical goal. That is often how it looks with Spain. No panic, no rush, just good football from a player who took his chance well.

Belgium found it hard to respond. Spain’s midfield, anchored by Rodri and helped by the clever Fabian Ruiz, stayed in control. Lamine Yamal was lively on the right flank and earned his Player of the Match award with a bright performance, even though a goal did not come his way.

Belgium Fight Back: De Ketelaere Ends a Big Record

Just as Spain looked set to go in comfortable at half-time, Belgium hit back. And it was a very important goal indeed!

In the 41st minute, Timothy Castagne pushed forward down the right and put in a great cross. Charles De Ketelaere, free in the box, got there at exactly the right moment and powered a header past Unai Simon.

The goal mattered for more than one reason. It was not just an equaliser. It ended a brilliant Spain record. According to Al Jazeera Sport, it was the first goal Spain had conceded at the 2026 World Cup, ending a run of 649 minutes without letting one in. That run had covered every group stage game, the round of 16 win over Portugal, and most of this quarter-final.

Belgium’s players and fans went wild. The 70,000 fans inside SoFi Stadium were up on their feet. All of a sudden, this was a proper contest again.

Both sides went in at half-time level. Belgium had every reason to believe they could pull off an upset.

Second Half: Courtois Goes Off, Nerves Kick In

The second half did not offer as many clear chances as the first, but it was tense, physical, and full of incident. Belgium came out with more purpose. De Bruyne drove them forward, and both Trossard and Doku kept Spain’s defence on their toes.

But the big moment of the second half had nothing to do with a goal. In the 71st minute, Thibaut Courtois, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, was forced off with what looked like a thigh injury. He tried to carry on, but his body would not let him. Courtois walked off looking frustrated and upset, and sat down on the bench. Watching what happened next must have been awful for him.

Senne Lammens, the Manchester United goalkeeper, came on in his place. It was an incredibly tough situation for the young Belgian. He was being thrown into a World Cup quarter-final with his country’s hopes riding on him.

Spain sensed the change. They pushed hard for a second goal, probing and testing Belgium’s defence at every turn. Belgium dug in well, blocking shots and trying to hit back on the counter. Late on, Saelemaekers even found himself with an open net after Simon rushed off his line, but he could not put it away and Spain cleared their lines.

The Moment That Decided It: Lammens Drops It, Merino Scores

Then, in the 88th minute, it all happened.

Mikel Merino had only been on the pitch for two minutes. He had come on in the 86th minute, ready to make an impact. Pau Cubarsi pushed forward and had a shot from outside the box. It was not the fiercest of efforts, but Lammens, perhaps feeling the pressure of the moment, could not hold it. The ball spilled straight into the path of Merino.

He did not think twice. He smashed it home before any Belgian defender could clear it, and the Spanish end of the stadium absolutely erupted!

For Courtois, sitting on the bench, it was a heartbreaking sight. He had just watched his replacement make the one mistake that cost Belgium the match. For Merino, it was almost unbelievable. A second late winner in as many games, after doing exactly the same thing against Portugal in the round of 16.

“I couldn’t have imagined something like this even in my wildest dreams. Another goal in the dying minutes,” Merino said after the match. “I thought it would take a long time to repeat a feat like that… and I managed it in the very next game!”

There were seven frantic minutes of added time. Belgium threw everything at Spain looking for an equaliser. Axel Witsel, one of the most experienced players in the squad, even picked up a booking in the 90th plus fifth minute for a foul on Rodri. But Spain held on. The final whistle blew.

Merino dropped to his knees. Courtois stared at the ground. Spain were through.

Spain’s 36-Game Unbeaten Run and What Is Next in Dallas

There is something very impressive about the way this Spain side keeps finding ways to win. They are not always brilliant. They do not always dominate. But they keep going. They stay focused. And they keep finding Merino.

“It’s the character of the team,” Luis de la Fuente said after the match. “It’s an honour to coach a team so committed and eager to improve.”

That character has now carried them through 36 consecutive competitive matches without a defeat. That is 27 wins and nine draws since that 1-0 loss to Colombia in March 2024. It is a new national record, and it shows no sign of stopping.

“Two matches to win a World Cup is a dream come true,” Merino said. “Hopefully we can achieve it.”

Next up is France. The tournament favourites. The side that won it all in 2018 and came so close again in 2022. Kylian Mbappe, who has been in brilliant form, will lead them out in Dallas on Tuesday.

But Spain have some history on their side. They beat France 2-1 in the Euro 2024 semi-final in Munich. Then they beat them again, 5-4 in an incredible Nations League semi-final in June 2025. De la Fuente knows that record well.

“It’s fair to think we can beat France,” he said. “We’re the only team that has managed to beat them twice. A great team is going to face another great team.”

For Belgium, the tournament is over. De Ketelaere’s equaliser will be remembered for a long time. So will Courtois’s injury and everything that followed. For a team that came so close, this one will sting.

For Spain, the journey goes on. And if these last two games have taught us anything, it is that you should never take your eyes off Mikel Merino.

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