Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal on Friday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The victory sent Spain to the semifinals for the second time in their history. They will now face France.
Spain controlled much of the first half. In the 30th minute, Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring. He pounced on a rebound after goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved a shot from Dani Olmo. Ruiz finished calmly to give Spain the lead. Coach Luis de la Fuente had started Ruiz in place of Pedri, and the move paid off early.
Belgium responded strongly before halftime. Charles De Ketelaere equalized with a powerful header. The goal ended Spain’s run of six consecutive clean sheets in the tournament. De Ketelaere rose unmarked to meet a cross and level the score at 1-1.
Both teams traded chances after the break, but defenses held firm for long periods. Spain maintained possession and pressed forward. Belgium defended deep and looked for counterattacks, though they missed captain Youri Tielemans due to injury.
In the 88th minute, Mikel Merino delivered the winner. The substitute pounced on a spilled save by Belgium’s backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Merino smashed the ball into the roof of the net. The goal mirrored his matchwinner against Portugal in the round of 16.
Spain extended their unbeaten streak to nine matches in the tournament. They showed resilience after conceding their first goal of the competition. Belgium fought hard but fell short in the end.
The win sets up a high-stakes semifinal between Spain and France. Both teams advanced through challenging paths in this World Cup.
