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Spain vs Belgium FIFA 2026 Highlights: Spain continued their impressive FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a 2-1 victory over Belgium in the quarterfinals. Played at Los Angeles Stadium, the exciting contest saw Fabián Ruiz and Mikel Merino score for Spain, while Charles De Ketelaere found the net for Belgium.
With this hard-fought win, Spain secured a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals, where they will face France in a blockbuster clash.
Match Details: Spain vs Belgium FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarterfinal
- Match: Spain vs Belgium
- Tournament: FIFA World Cup 2026 - Quarterfinal
- Venue: Los Angeles Stadium
- Final Score: Spain 2-1 Belgium
- Winner: Spain
- Goals:
- Fabián Ruiz (30')
- Charles De Ketelaere (41')
- Mikel Merino (88')
- Next Match: Spain vs France (Semifinal)
Spain vs Belgium FIFA World Cup 2026 Highlights
- Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 to qualify for the semifinals.
- Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring in the 30th minute.
- Charles De Ketelaere equalized before halftime.
- Mikel Merino scored the winning goal in the 88th minute.
- Spain extended their unbeaten run to 36 matches.
- Belgium were eliminated despite a strong performance.
First Half Highlights: Fabián Ruiz Opens the Scoring Before Belgium Respond
Spain started the match with confidence and controlled possession from the opening whistle.
Coach Luis de la Fuente surprised many by selecting Fabián Ruiz ahead of Pedri, and the decision paid off. In the 30th minute, Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved Dani Olmo's initial effort, but Ruiz reacted quickly to score from the rebound and give Spain a 1-0 lead.
Belgium fought back before halftime. In the 41st minute, Kevin De Bruyne played a brilliant through ball to Timothy Castagne, whose accurate cross was headed into the net by Charles De Ketelaere, making it 1-1.
Halftime Score: Spain 1-1 Belgium
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Second Half Highlights: Mikel Merino's Late Goal Sends Spain Through
The second half remained closely contested as both teams searched for the winning goal.
Belgium suffered a major setback in the 71st minute when goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was forced off due to injury. His replacement, Senne Lammens, was called into action several times.
The decisive moment arrived in the 88th minute. Lammens failed to fully control a long-range effort from Pau Cubarsí, and substitute Mikel Merino reacted first to fire the rebound into the net, giving Spain a 2-1 lead.
Belgium pushed for an equalizer in the closing minutes, but Spain's defense held firm to secure a place in the last four.
Spain Set Up Blockbuster Semifinal Against France
With this victory, Spain advanced to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals, where they will take on France.
The meeting between two European football giants is expected to be one of the biggest matches of the tournament, with a place in the World Cup final at stake.
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Records Created During Spain vs Belgium Quarterfinal
Several important records were set during the match:
- Charles De Ketelaere ended goalkeeper Unai Simón's remarkable run of 560 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal in the FIFA World Cup.
- Earlier in the tournament, Simón had broken Walter Zenga's previous World Cup record of 517 minutes without conceding.
- Spain extended their unbeaten streak to 36 international matches, equaling Argentina's unbeaten run from 2019 to 2022.
- Only Italy's record of 37 consecutive unbeaten matches now stands ahead of Spain.
Spain Move One Step Closer to World Cup Glory
Spain once again showed their quality, composure, and ability to perform under pressure in a major knockout match. With another late winner from Mikel Merino, they kept their World Cup dream alive and moved into the semifinals full of confidence.
All eyes will now be on the highly anticipated Spain vs France semifinal as both teams battle for a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final.
