Published: July 11, 2026 at 11:49 am
Super sub Mikel Merino helpd Spain punched their ticket to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Belgium in an exciting quarterfinal in Los Angeles.
A late intervention from Merino proved the difference, while Belgium suffered a heartbreaking blow as Thibaut Courtois was forced off injured in what could prove to be his final FIFA World Cup appearance.
Spain struck first in the 30th minute when Fabián Ruiz showed sharp instincts to pounce on the rebound after Dani Olmo’s effort was parried by Courtois, handing La Roja the breakthrough.
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Belgium hit back before the interval in the 41st minute as Charles De Ketelaere jumped to score a header off a pinpoint Timothy Castagne cross, sending the sides into halftime level after an entertaining first half.
Spain down Belgium 2-1 to reach semifinal of FIFA World Cup 2026 against France. Pics: FIFA/X
Charles De Ketelaere ended Unai Simon’s run without conceding at 650 minutes. The Spain goalkeeper had already broken the World Cup record of Walter Zenga, who went 517 minutes without letting in a goal for Italy in 1990.
The Red Devils’ hopes, however, suffered a major setback in the 71st minute when Courtois was forced off through injury and replaced by Senne Lammens.
Merino breaks Belgian hearts
With extra time looming, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente rolled the dice by introducing Mikel Merino in the 86th minute. The move paid off as just two minutes after stepping onto the pitch, Merino popped up with the winner in the 88th minute, reacting quickest after Pau Cubarsí’s effort took a deflection off Senne Lammens.
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Having already broken Portuguese hearts with a late winner in the previous round, Merino once again proved to be Spain’s ultimate super sub, extending his scoring streak to six consecutive FIFA World Cup appearances.
“I’m thrilled. I doubt it will happen again. We’re two matches away from winning a World Cup. It’s a dream come true. Hopefully we can achieve it. Everyone is watching these matches. Being able to bring this joy is a source of pride. Against France, at this stage, we couldn’t expect anything less than an elite team,” said Merino.
Spain saw out the closing stages to secure a memorable 2-1 victory, knocking Belgium out and booking a blockbuster semi-final showdown with France. Once again, Merino delivered when it mattered most, coming off the bench to change the game and keep La Roja’s dream of lifting the FIFA World Cup alive.
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“It’s the character of the team. It’s an honour to coach a team so committed and eager to improve. It’s fair to think we can beat France. We’re going to work hard for it. We’re the only team that has managed to beat them twice. A great team is going to face another great team,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.
Spain made it 36 matches unbeaten since a loss to Colombia in which Daniel Munoz scored the only goal. It equalled the undefeated streak Lionel Messi helped Argentina register from 2019 to 2022, and trails only Italy’s 37-game run set between 2018 and 2021.
