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Spain and Belgium will face off in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup on Friday, July 10 at 19:00 UTC (15:00 Cuba time) at the in Inglewood, California, in one of the most appealing matchups of the round.
The match-up was confirmed after both teams advanced from their respective Round of 16 matches with narrow victories: Spain eliminated Portugal on Monday with a goal from Mikel Merino in the 91st minute, and Belgium defeated the United States on Monday at Lumen Field in Seattle with a goal from Charles De Ketelaere (1-0).
La Roja arrives at the knockout stage as one of the strongest teams in the tournament. They finished first in Group H with seven points and did not concede a single goal in the group phase, securing victories against Saudi Arabia (4-0) and Uruguay (1-0), along with a draw against Cape Verde (0-0).
In the knockout stage, Spain maintained its level against Austria: they won 3-0 in the round of 32 with a brace from Mikel Oyarzabal and a goal from Pedro Porro, while Lamine Yamal was named the best player of the match. Later, in a high-tension clash against Portugal, Merino scored in stoppage time to secure a place in the quarter-finals and bid farewell to Cristiano Ronaldo from the tournament.
Spain arrives at the knockout stage unbeaten, having conceded no goals in the group phase, with a generation that combines the explosiveness of Lamine Yamal (18 years old) with the experience of veterans like Oyarzabal and Merino himself.
Belgium, on the other hand, had a more inconsistent journey but showed character in decisive moments. They finished first in Group G with five points after drawing against Egypt (1-1) and Iran (0-0) and thrashing New Zealand (5-1).
In sixteenths, the Belgians staged an epic comeback against Senegal: they were trailing 0-2 and ended up winning 3-2 in extra time with a penalty from Youri Tielemans in the 124th minute. Against the United States in the round of 16, De Ketelaere's goal was enough to advance in a match marked by controversy: Belgium had contested with FIFA the decision to allow U.S. forward Folarin Balogun to play, although they ultimately won the match.
The Belgian national team is now showcasing a generation in transition, having moved on from the so-called "golden generation" of previous years, but still featuring high-caliber players like Tielemans and De Ketelaere who have stepped up during crucial moments of the tournament.
The only World Cup encounter between the two teams dates back to Mexico 1986, when Belgium eliminated Spain in the quarter-finals after a 0-0 draw in regulation time and winning 5-4 in the penalty shootout. Forty years later, both teams meet again in the same stage, this time at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
The winner of the match will advance to the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup.
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