Spain 2-1 Belgium: Merino strikes late again to set up France semi-final
Spain beat Belgium 2-1 in the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals with goals from Fabián Ruiz and Mikel Merino. De Ketelaere ended Unai Simón's record run.
Spain are into the World Cup 2026 semi-finals — and once again it was Mikel Merino who settled it. Friday’s 2-1 win over Belgium in Inglewood sets up a meeting with France, and extends the nightmare the midfielder had already inflicted on Portugal when he decided the round-of-16 tie in stoppage time.
How did Spain beat Belgium?
By the expected script, with a twist: Spanish possession against Belgian counters. Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring on 29 minutes at the end of a training-ground move, but Charles De Ketelaere — the same man who sank the United States in the last 16 — headed Belgium level on 40. With extra time looming, Merino arrived in the box on 87 minutes to make it 2-1.
What did Belgium’s goal end?
The longest unbeaten goalkeeping run in World Cup finals history. Unai Simón fell at 650 minutes without conceding, a record that had already cost Portugal dearly and had been Spain’s great shield in this tournament.
Who do Spain play in the World Cup 2026 semi-final?
France, who saw off Morocco on Thursday to become the first side through. The winner will face whoever emerges from the Norway-England side of the bracket. We are tracking it all, result by result, in our World Cup 2026 daily hub, and the official match sheet is on FIFA’s match centre.
For the generation of Pedri and Lamine Yamal, 2010 feels closer by the day.
By Vasco Almada
Image: Bryan Berlin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)