Merino Off the Bench Again as Spain Beat Belgium

Quarterfinal · SoFi Stadium, Inglewood · July 10, 2026

Mikel Merino came off the bench to score a late winner for the second game in a row, as Spain beat Belgium 2-1 in Inglewood to reach the semifinals.

Fabián Ruiz put Spain ahead in the 30th minute. Charles De Ketelaere equalized four minutes before halftime, set up by Timothy Castagne. It was the first goal Spain had conceded at the tournament, after clean sheets against Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Austria and Portugal.

The game stayed level until the closing minutes. Merino, on for two minutes, won it in the 88th, as he had done late on against Portugal in the Round of 16.

Luis de la Fuente made his first changes in the 55th minute, sending on Pedri for Ruiz and Ferran Torres for Alex Baena. Nico Williams replaced Mikel Oyarzabal in the 79th minute, and Merino came on for Dani Olmo in the 86th. Rudi Garcia answered with Romelu Lukaku and Axel Witsel on the hour, for Hans Vanaken and Leandro Trossard.

Belgium lost goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to an injury in the 71st minute, and Senne Lammens replaced him. Courtois had made four saves. Lammens made two more, but GoalServe charged him with an error leading to a goal. Pau Cubarsí, Kevin De Bruyne, Aymeric Laporte and Witsel were all booked.

Spain controlled the game, with 68% of the ball and 17 shots overall, eight of them on target, for 2.08 expected goals. They completed 598 of 665 passes, 90%. Belgium managed five shots, two on target, and 0.37 expected goals, and committed 18 fouls. Unai Simón had one save to make.

Rodri was Spain’s highest-rated player, with two key passes from the base of Spain’s midfield. Lamine Yamal had four shots, two on target, and completed four dribbles. Cubarsí created two chances and had a shot on target. For Belgium, Jérémy Doku completed four dribbles, and Nathan Ngoy made two tackles and two interceptions.

De la Fuente started in a 4-2-3-1, with Rodri and Ruiz in front of the defense and Yamal, Olmo and Baena behind Oyarzabal. Garcia matched the shape, with De Ketelaere leading the line ahead of Trossard, De Bruyne and Doku.

Belgium go out in the quarterfinals after beating Senegal in extra time and the USA 4-1 in the knockout rounds. Spain remain unbeaten at this World Cup.

Spain will face France in the semifinals.

More: Spain at the 2026 World Cup · Belgium at the 2026 World Cup

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Archive coverage. First published on ESO Soccer on October 3, 2026. The archive date reflects the events covered.