Spain advances to World Cup semi-final after dramatic win over Belgium

By Sanjay Menon — 11 July 2026 — 3 min read

Spain secured a spot in the World Cup 2026 semi-finals, defeating Belgium 2-1 in a quarter-final match held in Inglewood. The decisive goal came late in the game from Mikel Merino, marking his third crucial goal in recent major tournaments.

Merino, who entered the match as a substitute in the 86th minute, capitalised on a loose ball in the 88th minute to score the winning goal. This follows his previous game-winning goals against Germany in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals and against Portugal in the last 16 of the current World Cup.

Belgium’s Injury Woes and Goalkeeper Change

Belgium faced significant challenges throughout the match, including a pre-game injury to captain Youri Tielemans, who was replaced by Hans Vanaken in the starting lineup. Tielemans had been a consistent performer for Belgium in the tournament. Additionally, the team was already without Amadou Onana due to a torn knee ligament and Zeno Debast with a leg injury.

A pivotal moment occurred in the 71st minute when Belgium‘s goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, sustained a muscle injury. Despite initially appearing ready to continue after a hydration break, coach Rudi Garcia made the decision to substitute him with backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Courtois was visibly emotional as he left the field, with the score tied at 1-1 at the time of his departure.

Garcia later commented on Courtois‘s performance throughout the World Cup, noting his excellence and the team’s reluctance to risk worsening his injury. The coach acknowledged that losing Courtois was a significant blow, especially as the goalkeeper could no longer execute long kicks.

The substitution proved costly for Belgium. In the 88th minute, Lammens mishandled a shot from Pau Cubarsí, allowing Mikel Merino to pounce on the rebound and score Spain‘s second goal. This incident led to Belgium‘s elimination from the tournament.

Key Players and Match Dynamics

Spain‘s Lamine Yamal was named man of the match, with his relentless play reportedly impacting Belgium‘s defensive efforts. Joaquín Seys, a 21-year-old, came on for Belgium at left-back and faced the challenge of marking Yamal.

The match saw a period of intense play, with both teams creating opportunities. Doku and De Bruyne combined effectively for Belgium on the left flank, leading to a chance that saw De Cuyper shoot into the side-netting. For Spain, Pedri and Nico Williams showed strong combination play on the left, while Rodri began to assert dominance in midfield.

Belgium made further changes, bringing on Romelu Lukaku and Axel Witsel. Witsel, at 37 years old, entered the game without a club affiliation. De Bruyne was later booked for a foul on Ferran Torres before being substituted for Alexis Saelemaekers.

Spain will now advance to face France in the semi-finals. This marks only the second time in their history that Spain has reached a World Cup semi-final.

For Belgium, this defeat means they were unable to replicate their historic run from 2018. The match also potentially marked the final World Cup appearance for several of their older players, including Thibaut Courtois.

Source: theguardian.com