Spain vs Belgium
A World Cup quarter-final with genuine competitive balance, high technical quality, and a narrative thread built on Belgium's pursuit of a first major title against a Spain side defending their European crown. The prediction split is tight, the stakes are absolute, and the football figures to match the occasion.
Spain and Belgium meet at SoFi Stadium in a 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final that pits the reigning European champions against a Belgian program that has been building toward this kind of fixture for over a decade. Spain's defensive numbers across the tournament have been exceptional, while Belgium's attacking output - rated above Spain's in that comparative split - signals that Roberto Martinez's side carries real threat going forward. This is a knockout match between two genuinely capable footballing nations, and the Watch Score reflects that: high quality, real drama, and a narrative thread that has been accumulating across multiple tournaments.
The tactical question at the center of this fixture is whether Belgium's attack can find the gaps that Spain's defensive structure has been refusing opponents throughout the tournament. Watch for how Spain manage transitions - their ability to control tempo in the middle third has been a recurring theme - and for whether Belgium's wide players can create overloads that bypass Spain's defensive line. This is also a match where the first goal carries outsized weight: both sides are capable of setting up in a more conservative shape once they have a lead to protect.
Recent Form
- 23Unai SimónG
- 12Pedro PorroD
- 22Pau CubarsíD
- 14Aymeric LaporteD
- 24Marc CucurellaD
- 16RodriM
- 8Fabián RuizM
- 19Lamine YamalM
- 10Dani OlmoM
- 15Alex BaenaM
- 21Mikel OyarzabalF
- 1David RayaG
- 13Joan GarcíaG
- 2Marc PubillD
- 4Eric GarcíaD
- 5Marcos LlorenteM
- 3Alejandro GrimaldoD
- 6Mikel MerinoM
- 9Pablo GaviM
- 18Martín ZubimendiM
- 20PedriM
- 17Nico WilliamsF
- 7Ferran TorresF
- 11Yéremy PinoM
- 25Víctor MuñozF
- 26Borja IglesiasF
3 goals, 3 lead changes · final
Merino's 88th-minute goal sends Spain into the World Cup semifinals past Belgium.
M. Merino, on as a substitute just two minutes earlier, settled the quarterfinal with a goal in the 88th minute at SoFi Stadium to give Spain a 2-1 win over Belgium. F. Ruiz had opened the scoring in the 30th minute, only for C. De Ketelaere — assisted by T. Castagne — to level for Belgium just before half-time. Spain dominated possession at 68 percent and registered 16 shots to Belgium's five, with seven on target against two, but it took until the closing minutes for the decisive moment to arrive.
Spain advance to the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Belgium, who had equalized through De Ketelaere shortly before the break and held their shape through the second half, are eliminated. K. De Bruyne picked up a yellow card in the 85th minute before being withdrawn a minute later, and the match finished with late bookings for A. Laporte and A. Witsel deep into stoppage time.
Spain's xG of 2.04 against Belgium's 0.38 reflected the degree of territorial control, though the match remained level until the final minutes — M. Merino converting almost immediately after coming on to replace M. Merino's entry for M. Merino — with the winner arriving from a substitute within two minutes of his introduction.