FIFA World Cup

Spain vs Belgium, 2026 FIFA World Cup, Quarterfinals

· FIFA World Cup
Spain
  • 30': Fabián Ruiz
  • 88': Mikel Merino
FT
2 - 1
Belgium
  • 41': Charles De Ketelaere

Senne Lammens mistake sends Spain into World Cup semifinal at Belgium's expense

Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute on a rebound yielded by backup Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens, and Spain advanced to the World Cup semifinals with a 2-1 victory on Friday.

Match Commentary

  • 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
  • 0': First Half begins.
  • 2': Foul by Nicolas Raskin (Belgium).
  • 2': Lamine Yamal (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 3': Offside, Spain. Marc Cucurella is caught offside.
  • 9': Foul by Leandro Trossard (Belgium).
  • 9': Lamine Yamal (Spain) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 10': Attempt blocked. Rodri (Spain) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Fabián Ruiz with a cross.
  • 11': Jérémy Doku (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 11': Foul by Pedro Porro (Spain).
  • 13': Attempt blocked. Álex Baena (Spain) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Pau Cubarsí with a through ball.
  • 15': Attempt blocked. Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jérémy Doku.
  • 18': Foul by Maxim De Cuyper (Belgium).
  • 18': Pedro Porro (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 19': Brandon Mechele (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 19': Foul by Lamine Yamal (Spain).
  • 21': Attempt missed. Lamine Yamal (Spain) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Mikel Oyarzabal.
  • 22': Foul by Nathan Ngoy (Belgium).
  • 22': Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 23': Delay in match for a drinks break.
  • 26': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 28': Timothy Castagne (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 28': Foul by Álex Baena (Spain).
  • 30': Attempt saved. Dani Olmo (Spain) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Thibaut Courtois (Belgium). Assisted by Pedro Porro.
  • 30': Goal! Spain 1, Belgium 0. Fabián Ruiz (Spain) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal.
  • 31': Delay in match because of an injury Timothy Castagne (Belgium).
  • 32': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 34': Foul by Jérémy Doku (Belgium).
  • 34': Lamine Yamal (Spain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 35': Attempt saved. Lamine Yamal (Spain) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Thibaut Courtois (Belgium).
  • 35': Corner, Spain. Conceded by Jérémy Doku.
  • 35': Delay in match (Spain).
  • 36': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 36': Handball by Álex Baena (Spain).
  • 37': Offside, Belgium. Charles De Ketelaere is caught offside.
  • 40': Attempt missed. Lamine Yamal (Spain) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Rodri.
  • 41': Goal! Spain 1, Belgium 1. Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium) header from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Timothy Castagne with a cross.
  • 43': Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 43': Foul by Pau Cubarsí (Spain).
  • 43': Pau Cubarsí (Spain) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  • 44': Foul by Maxim De Cuyper (Belgium).
  • 44': Lamine Yamal (Spain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 45': Attempt missed. Pedro Porro (Spain) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Álex Baena.
  • 45': Fourth official has announced 5 minutes of added time.
  • 45'+1': Corner, Spain. Conceded by Brandon Mechele.
  • 45'+2': Corner, Spain. Conceded by Kevin De Bruyne.
  • 45'+2': Attempt blocked. Fabián Ruiz (Spain) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Rodri.
  • 45'+3': Delay in match because of an injury Dani Olmo (Spain).
  • 45'+4': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 45'+5': Nicolas Raskin (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 45'+5': Foul by Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain).
  • 45'+6': First Half ends, Spain 1, Belgium 1.
  • 45': Second Half begins Spain 1, Belgium 1.
  • 46': Leandro Trossard (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 46': Foul by Marc Cucurella (Spain).
  • 47': Foul by Brandon Mechele (Belgium).
  • 47': Dani Olmo (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 48': Offside, Spain. Lamine Yamal is caught offside.
  • 49': Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium).
  • 49': Fabián Ruiz (Spain) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 50': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Aymeric Laporte.
  • 50': Foul by Nicolas Raskin (Belgium).
  • 50': Álex Baena (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 52': Attempt blocked. Lamine Yamal (Spain) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marc Cucurella.
  • 52': Corner, Spain. Conceded by Brandon Mechele.
  • 53': Attempt missed. Dani Olmo (Spain) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Pau Cubarsí following a corner.
  • 55': Attempt missed. Maxim De Cuyper (Belgium) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
  • 55': Substitution, Spain. Ferran Torres replaces Álex Baena.
  • 55': Substitution, Spain. Pedri replaces Fabián Ruiz.
  • 59': Jérémy Doku (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 59': Foul by Lamine Yamal (Spain).
  • 60': Substitution, Belgium. Axel Witsel replaces Leandro Trossard.
  • 60': Substitution, Belgium. Romelu Lukaku replaces Hans Vanaken.
  • 61': Substitution, Belgium. Joaquin Seys replaces Maxim De Cuyper.
  • 61': Attempt saved. Lamine Yamal (Spain) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Thibaut Courtois (Belgium). Assisted by Mikel Oyarzabal.
  • 62': Attempt saved. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Unai Simón (Spain).
  • 62': Attempt saved. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom right corner by Thibaut Courtois (Belgium).
  • 62': Corner, Spain. Conceded by Nathan Ngoy.
  • 64': Foul by Nicolas Raskin (Belgium).
  • 64': Dani Olmo (Spain) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 66': Jérémy Doku (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 66': Foul by Pedro Porro (Spain).
  • 66': Delay in match because of an injury Thibaut Courtois (Belgium).
  • 67': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 67': Delay in match for a drinks break.
  • 70': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 70': Foul by Jérémy Doku (Belgium).
  • 70': Pedro Porro (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 71': Offside, Spain. Marc Cucurella is caught offside.
  • 71': Substitution, Belgium. Senne Lammens replaces Thibaut Courtois because of an injury.
  • 74': Attempt blocked. Lamine Yamal (Spain) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Dani Olmo.
  • 76': Foul by Axel Witsel (Belgium).
  • 76': Pedri (Spain) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 77': Nicolas Raskin (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 77': Foul by Pedro Porro (Spain).
  • 79': Jérémy Doku (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 79': Foul by Pedro Porro (Spain).
  • 79': Substitution, Spain. Nico Williams replaces Mikel Oyarzabal.
  • 82': Foul by Nicolas Raskin (Belgium).
  • 82': Pau Cubarsí (Spain) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 84': Attempt blocked. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) left footed shot from more than 35 yards is blocked.
  • 85': Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium).
  • 85': Ferran Torres (Spain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 85': Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  • 86': Substitution, Belgium. Alexis Saelemaekers replaces Kevin De Bruyne.
  • 86': Substitution, Spain. Mikel Merino replaces Dani Olmo.
  • 88': Attempt saved. Pau Cubarsí (Spain) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Senne Lammens (Belgium). Assisted by Pedri.
  • 88': Goal! Spain 2, Belgium 1. Mikel Merino (Spain) left footed shot from very close range to the top left corner.
  • 90'+1': Fourth official has announced 7 minutes of added time.
  • 90'+1': Axel Witsel (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 90'+1': Foul by Mikel Merino (Spain).
  • 90'+1': Handball by Jérémy Doku (Belgium).
  • 90'+3': Jérémy Doku (Belgium) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 90'+3': Foul by Aymeric Laporte (Spain).
  • 90'+3': Aymeric Laporte (Spain) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  • 90'+4': Foul by Nicolas Raskin (Belgium).
  • 90'+4': Mikel Merino (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 90'+5': Foul by Axel Witsel (Belgium).
  • 90'+5': Rodri (Spain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 90'+5': Axel Witsel (Belgium) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  • 90'+6': Foul by Romelu Lukaku (Belgium).
  • 90'+6': Unai Simón (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 90'+7': Attempt saved. Marc Cucurella (Spain) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Senne Lammens (Belgium). Assisted by Mikel Merino.
  • 90'+8': Second Half ends, Spain 2, Belgium 1.
  • 0': Match ends, Spain 2, Belgium 1.

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/countries/500/bel.png&h=25&scale=crop&w=25&location=originBEL ESPhttps://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/countries/500/esp.png&h=25&scale=crop&w=25&location=origin
18 Fouls 13
2 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 0
1 Offsides 3
1 Corner Kicks 5
6 Saves 1
32.1 Possession 67.9
5 SHOTS 17
2 ON GOAL 8
0.4 On Target % 0.5
0 Penalty Goals 0
0 Penalty Kicks Taken 0
243 Accurate Passes 598
312 Passes 664
0.8 Pass Completion % 0.9
2 Accurate Crosses 2
11 Crosses 20
0.2 Cross % 0.1
45 Long Balls 35
20 Accurate Long Balls 19
0.4 Long Balls % 0.5
2 Blocked Shots 5
6 Effective Tackles 6
10 Tackles 11
0.6 Tackle % 0.5
9 Interceptions 5
34 Effective Clearances 15
34 Clearances 15

Game Information

Competition: FIFA World Cup

Venue: SoFi Stadium
Location: Inglewood, California, USA
Attendance: 70,492

Line-Ups

ESP Spain (4-2-3-1)

No. Name
23 Unai Simón (GK)
14 Aymeric Laporte Yellow Card
22 Pau Cubarsí Yellow Card
24 Marc Cucurella
12 Pedro Porro
10 Dani Olmo
8 Fabián Ruiz
16 Rodri
21 Mikel Oyarzabal
15 Álex Baena
19 Lamine Yamal
Spain Substitutes:
Nico Williams, Yéremy Pino, Alejandro Grimaldo, Víctor Muñoz, Mikel Merino, Joan García, Eric García, Borja Iglesias, Gavi, David Raya, Marc Pubill, Pedri, Martín Zubimendi, Ferran Torres, Marcos Llorente.

BEL Belgium (4-2-3-1)

No. Name
1 Thibaut Courtois (GK)
4 Brandon Mechele
25 Nathan Ngoy
5 Maxim De Cuyper
21 Timothy Castagne
7 Kevin De Bruyne Yellow Card
23 Nicolas Raskin
20 Hans Vanaken
17 Charles De Ketelaere
11 Jérémy Doku
10 Leandro Trossard
Belgium Substitutes:
Alexis Saelemaekers, Koni De Winter, Joaquin Seys, Diego Moreira, Senne Lammens, Dodi Lukébakio, Arthur Theate, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Thomas Meunier, Axel Witsel, Mike Penders, Romelu Lukaku.

FIFA World Cup News

Gomez: Raphinha is the best player in the world
Gomez: Raphinha is the best player in the world

Gomez: Raphinha is the best player in the world

De la Fuente: The best is yet to come for the Spanish national team
De la Fuente: The best is yet to come for the Spanish national team

De la Fuente: The best is yet to come for the Spanish national team

Grading Bafana Bafana players' overseas moves since the FIFA World Cup
Grading Bafana Bafana players' overseas moves since the FIFA World Cup

South Africa returned to the FIFA World Cup in 2026 after a 16-year absence, and since their round of 32 exit at the hands of Canada, Bafana Bafana players have secured several noteworthy moves abroad.

Infantino open to FIFA governance review, reforms after backlash
Infantino open to FIFA governance review, reforms after backlash

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has indicated he'd be open to an independent review of its governance system and signaled a willingness to consider reforms.

Messi tracker: Goals, assists, key moments in 2026
Messi tracker: Goals, assists, key moments in 2026

ESPN provides game-by-game analysis of Lionel Messi's performances for Inter Miami and Argentina.