Spain booked their place in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Belgium, with substitute Mikel Merino once again emerging as the match-winner in a thrilling quarter-final clash.
Having already broken Portuguese hearts in the Round of 16, Merino repeated his heroics with another decisive late goal, sending La Roja into a mouth-watering semi-final against France in a rematch of the UEFA Euro 2024 semi-final.
Spain made one change to the side that defeated Portugal, with Fabián Ruiz replacing the injured Pedri in midfield. The decision paid immediate dividends as Luis de la Fuente’s men dominated possession and controlled the early exchanges.
Their breakthrough arrived on the half-hour mark when Fabián Ruiz capped off a flowing Spanish move, calmly finishing to give La Roja a deserved 1-0 lead.
Belgium, however, responded brilliantly. Just 11 minutes later, the in-form Charles De Ketelaere continued his sensational tournament by drawing the Red Devils level with a clinical finish. The goal ended Spain’s remarkable defensive run, becoming the first goal they had conceded at the FIFA World Cup after an incredible 650 consecutive minutes without conceding.
The teams went into the halftime interval locked at 1-1 after an entertaining first 45 minutes.
The second half remained finely balanced with both sides creating chances but struggling to find a breakthrough. Spain continued to dominate possession while Belgium looked dangerous on the counterattack.
A major blow for Belgium came with around 20 minutes remaining when goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was forced off through injury. The experienced shot-stopper appeared emotional as he left the field, adding to Belgium’s growing concerns late in the contest.
Once again, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente turned to his trusted super-sub.
Mikel Merino entered the match in the 86th minute and, just two minutes later, delivered another unforgettable moment. In the 88th minute, Merino rose to the occasion, finding the winning goal to send the Spanish supporters into celebration.
It was an incredible repeat of his Round of 16 performance against Portugal, where he came off the bench in the 85th minute before scoring the winner in stoppage time.
Against Portugal:
- 85′ – Substituted on
- 90+1′ – Match-winning goal
Against Belgium:
- 86′ – Substituted on
- 88′ – Match-winning goal
The late strike proved decisive as Spain held firm through the closing stages to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory and advance to the final four.
The result also brings Belgium’s impressive World Cup campaign to an end, despite another outstanding performance from Charles De Ketelaere, whose outstanding form throughout the tournament kept the Red Devils in contention until the final moments.
Spain will now face France in what promises to be one of the biggest matches of the tournament. The semi-final reunites two European giants and serves as a highly anticipated rematch of the UEFA Euro 2024 semi-final.
All eyes will be on two of world football’s biggest stars as Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal prepare to headline a blockbuster encounter with a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final at stake.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐔𝐏
