Live Blog! Spain vs. Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Second Half 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
🏁 Full Time 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
It's all over in Inglewood! Spain is back in the FIFA World Cup semifinals for the first time since South Africa 2010. La Roja had to battle through a difficult match against a resilient Belgium, but ultimately secured the winning goal after a costly mistake by substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who had replaced the injured Thibaut Courtois.
Luis de la Fuente's side is once again among the world's final four and now faces a massive challenge: a semifinal showdown against France with a place in the World Cup final on the line.
🇪🇸 Spain 2-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 91 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
A crucial intervention from Aymeric Laporte! The Spain defender cuts out a dangerous ball inside the penalty area that was heading directly toward Romelu Lukaku. The delivery had real danger and could have produced Belgium’s equalizer, but Laporte reacted at the perfect moment to preserve La Roja’s lead.
🇪🇸 Spain 2-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 87 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
GOOOOOOOOOAL FOR SPAIN!! Mikel Merino capitalizes on a costly mistake from Senne Lammens and sends the ball into the back of the net. The loss of Thibaut Courtois proves decisive at the worst possible moment for the Red Devils, as La Roja retakes the lead and moves one step closer to the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals.
🇪🇸 Spain 2-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 81 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Spain continues to control possession but cannot turn it into genuine danger. Every time La Roja reaches the final third, Belgium's defense breaks up the move with discipline and authority. Luis de la Fuente's side is lacking the creativity needed to find the decisive pass and unlock the Red Devils' compact defensive block.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 75 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Spain continues to dominate possession, but Belgium remains exceptionally well organized at the back. The Red Devils are consistently creating two-on-one situations against La Roja's most dangerous attackers while patiently waiting for the right moment to spring a counterattack through Romelu Lukaku. So far, it has been an excellent tactical approach from Rudi García.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 70 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Thibaut Courtois can no longer continue! The Belgium goalkeeper leaves the pitch in tears, clearly devastated by the injury that had been troubling him for several minutes. It is a massive blow for the Red Devils, who lose one of their biggest stars at the most crucial stage of the match.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 66 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Good news for Belgium. Following the hydration break, Thibaut Courtois returns to the field and appears fit to continue. The Red Devils can breathe a sigh of relief after the scare involving their goalkeeper, who has been one of the standout players of the match.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 63 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Concern grows for Belgium! Thibaut Courtois is down on the pitch receiving medical treatment following the previous play. The Red Devils are clearly worried, as any injury to their goalkeeper would be a massive blow at such a crucial stage of the match.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 61 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Spain keeps pushing! Lamine Yamal threads a superb pass to Mikel Oyarzabal, who strikes first time inside the box. But Thibaut Courtois comes up with another outstanding save to preserve the draw. The Belgian goalkeeper is proving to be the standout performer for the Red Devils.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 60 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Lamine Yamal goes for it again! The young Spain star unleashes another powerful long-range effort, forcing Thibaut Courtois into yet another save. The Belgian goalkeeper pushes the ball away from danger, keeping the Red Devils level in Inglewood.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 54 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Belgium comes close! Maxim De Cuyper arrives inside the penalty area and strikes the ball first time, but his effort hits the side netting of Unai Simón's goal. The Red Devils send a warning as the match begins to open up in Inglewood.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 51 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
A brilliant team move from Spain ends with Lamine Yamal receiving the ball just outside the box. The Spanish star fires a powerful long-range effort, but it takes a deflection off a defender and goes behind for a corner kick in favor of La Roja.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 46 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
The second half is underway in Inglewood! Intensity, tension and quality soccer are expected over the final 45 minutes. Spain and Belgium know there is no tomorrow: the winner will advance to the semifinals, while the loser will be eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
First Half 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
⏸️ Halftime 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Halftime in Inglewood, and it has been an entertaining contest between Spain and Belgium. La Roja grew into the match and looked in complete control after Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring. But just as Luis de la Fuente's side seemed to be taking over, Charles De Ketelaere struck the equalizer, ending Spain's remarkable run of 650 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Everything is set for a thrilling second half.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 45 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Five minutes have been added to the first half in Inglewood. Spain and Belgium have one final opportunity to break the deadlock before halftime in a match that has grown in intensity following the goals from Fabián Ruiz and Charles De Ketelaere.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
How Charles De Ketelaere Scored 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Charles De Ketelaere found space near the edge of the penalty area and produced an excellent finish to beat the Spanish goalkeeper and level the match. The Belgium forward’s strike carried additional significance, as it was the first goal conceded by La Roja at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 40 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
BELGIUM STRIKES BACK... GOOOOOOOOAL!! Just as Spain was enjoying its best spell of the match, Charles De Ketelaere silenced Inglewood. The Belgian forward unleashed a superb finish that gave the Spanish goalkeeper no chance, bringing the Red Devils level with a clinical response.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-1 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 39 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Lamine Yamal is taking over the match! The Spanish winger produces a brilliant solo run, glides past defenders and fires a shot that whistles just wide of Thibaut Courtois' goal. Spain's young star is growing into the game, and it looks like the Lamine Yamal show has officially begun.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-0 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 34 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Spain comes close to doubling its lead! Lamine Yamal curls a dangerous free kick toward goal, but Thibaut Courtois produces another excellent save to keep Belgium within striking distance.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-0 Belgium 🇧🇪
How Fabián Ruiz Scored 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Dani Olmo unleashed a powerful shot that Thibaut Courtois managed to stop, but the Belgium goalkeeper spilled the ball inside the penalty area. Fabián Ruiz reacted quickest to the rebound and finished to put La Roja ahead in Inglewood.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-0 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 29 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
GOOOOOOOOOAL FOR SPAIN!! Fabián Ruiz reacts quickest inside the penalty area and converts the rebound after a tremendous save from Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian goalkeeper denied the initial effort, but the Spanish midfielder was perfectly positioned to finish the second chance and put La Roja ahead.
🇪🇸 Spain 1-0 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 20 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
The first serious warning from Spain! Lamine Yamal receives the ball on the right, cuts inside and attempts his trademark move with a curling shot toward the far post. The ball travels just wide of Thibaut Courtois' goal.
🇪🇸 Spain 0-0 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 20 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Spain is beginning to play with greater dynamism, looking to attack the space behind the Belgian defense with more direct movements. However, the Red Devils remain extremely well organized, keeping their lines compact and preventing any surprises near their penalty area.
🇪🇸 Spain 0-0 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 10 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Spain continues to control possession but has yet to find a way through Belgium's compact defensive block. The Red Devils are showing greater patience with their attacking moves, although they have not created any real danger for the Spanish goal so far.
🇪🇸 Spain 0-0 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 6 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Spain controls possession in the opening minutes, circulating the ball from side to side in search of an opening. However, La Roja is facing a highly organized Belgium side, compact between the lines and ready to recover the ball and break quickly on the counterattack.
🇪🇸 Spain 0-0 Belgium 🇧🇪
Min 1 🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Kickoff in Inglewood! Spain gets the ball rolling as it looks to reach the FIFA World Cup semifinals for the first time since South Africa 2010, the tournament where La Roja lifted its first world title. On the other side, Belgium is aiming to return to the semifinals for the first time since Russia 2018, the nation's best-ever World Cup campaign.
🇪🇸 Spain 0-0 Belgium 🇧🇪
Pre Match
🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Both teams are going through their final warm-up routines on the pitch in Inglewood. The biggest surprise comes from Spain: head coach Luis de la Fuente has opted to leave Pedri on the bench. The absence of one of La Roja's main playmakers raises plenty of questions about the Spanish manager's tactical approach for this World Cup quarterfinal against Belgium.
🇪🇸 Spain 0-0 Belgium 🇧🇪
🇪🇸 🆚 🇧🇪
Spain and Belgium have arrived at the stadium in Inglewood, where everything is set for one of the most anticipated quarterfinal matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. La Roja is aiming to move one step closer to the title, while the Red Devils are determined to prove they still belong among the world's elite. The atmosphere continues to build as fans fill the stands ahead of kickoff.
🇪🇸 Spain vs Belgium 🇧🇪
The Revenge for Mexico 1986 Has Arrived
Forty years later, Spain and Belgium meet once again on the FIFA World Cup stage. The two nations collide in another quarterfinal, reviving memories of one of the most dramatic knockout matches in their histories: the unforgettable clash at Mexico 1986.
On June 22, 1986, at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, the Red Devils took the lead through Jan Ceulemans in the 35th minute. Just when Belgium seemed destined to advance, Juan Antonio Señor struck in the 85th minute to level the score and send the match into extra time.
The additional 30 minutes became a battle of endurance. The intense heat in Puebla drained both teams, and the semifinal berth was decided in a penalty shootout. The only miss came from Eloy Olaya, whose effort was saved by Jean-Marie Pfaff, giving Belgium a 5-4 victory in one of the most painful defeats in Spain's World Cup history.
Now, four decades later, Spain has the opportunity to exact revenge in exactly the same stage of the competition: the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals.
The most recent World Cup meeting between the two sides favored the Spaniards. They met again in the group stage of Italy 1990 in Verona, where Spain claimed victory. However, a group-stage match cannot compare to the pressure and emotion of a knockout clash, where one team advances and the other heads home.
Spain Lineup
Belgium Lineup
Spain Chasing Another World Cup Semifinal
Luis de la Fuente's side arrives as one of the most impressive teams in the tournament. Their ball circulation, high pressing, and the talent of players such as Rodri, Pedri, Dani Olmo, and Lamine Yamal have established La Roja as one of the favorites to lift the trophy.
The development of Lamine Yamal throughout the World Cup has also been significant. After a group stage in which he was below his usual standards, the teenage winger has steadily regained his rhythm during the knockout rounds, once again becoming one of Spain's most dangerous attacking threats. If he finds space on the flanks, he could become the difference-maker against the Belgian defense.
Defensively, Spain has also been outstanding, with Unai Simón, Pau Cubarsí, and Aymeric Laporte leading a back line that has allowed very few clear scoring opportunities throughout the tournament.
Belgium Looking to Revive Its Golden Generation
Although many believe Belgium's golden generation is entering its final chapter, the Red Devils have shown they remain a formidable opponent.
With Kevin De Bruyne dictating the tempo in midfield, Jérémy Doku providing explosive pace on the wings, and a defense that has improved with each match, Belgium is aiming to return to the World Cup semifinals for the first time since Russia 2018.
The midfield battle could determine the outcome. If Spain controls possession and prevents De Bruyne from finding space between the lines, it will have a significant advantage. However, if Belgium can force turnovers and attack quickly in transition, it has the quality to trouble the Spanish defense.
Everything is set for one of the standout matches of these quarterfinals. Forty years after that unforgettable night in Puebla, Spain will look to settle an old score, while Belgium hopes to prove it still has what it takes to compete for the 2026 FIFA World Cup title.
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