The Spanish national football team secured its qualification to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals this Friday after defeating Belgium 2-1 in a tense quarterfinal match at the Los Angeles Stadium in California.
The Spanish national football team, under the technical leadership of manager Luis de la Fuente, established dominance over the possession of the ball, utilizing their characteristic passing style to control the tempo of the game.
Conversely, the Belgian squad, directed by manager Rudi García, opted for a highly disciplined defensive block, focusing on maintaining structural order in their half while waiting for opportunities to exploit recoveries and launch counterattacks.
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Spain’s persistent possession eventually broke the deadlock during the first half. In the 30th minute of the match, Spanish midfielder Fabián Ruiz found space to score the opening goal, giving his team a 1-0 advantage. This initial breakthrough rewarded Spain’s offensive efforts, but the lead would prove to be short-lived.
The Belgian squad refused to dismantle their defensive posture and instead intensified their efforts to find an equalizer before the halftime whistle. In the 41st minute, just four minutes before the break, Belgian attacker Charles De Ketelaere capitalised on an offensive opportunity to score, leveling the scoreline at 1-1.
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Late drama unfolds
During the second half of this decisive FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal, both teams maintained an intensely competitive rhythm. As the minutes progressed, both managers recognized the need to alter their strategies to break the deadlock and avoid extra time. Consequently, Luis de la Fuente and Rudi García executed strategic substitutions designed to refresh their respective lineups, introducing fresh energy and seeking to exploit critical spaces within the opposing defensive lines.
The tactical adjustments proved decisive in the final minutes of regular time. The defining moment of the match arrived in the 88th minute, when Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino, who had recently entered the pitch as a substitute from the bench, found the back of the net. Merino’s late strike made the score 2-1, securing a late victory for the Spanish squad.
With this result, Spain officially advances to the semifinal round of the FIFA World Cup 2026, cementing their position among the top four teams in the tournament. On the other hand, the defeat marks the official conclusion of Belgium’s journey in this edition of the global tournament.
Spain have qualified for the Semi-finals
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 10, 2026
Spain will face France in the semifinal match next Tuesday, July 14 at the AT&T Stadium, in Texas, the second time in semifinals of a World Cup in his history. The previous one was in South Africa 2010, where the Spanish squad was crowned champion.
For its part, the French team led by Didier Deschamps has finished first in the group I, after beating Senegal, Iraq and Norway with a huge number: ten goals in favor for only two against. The squad had no clemency with Sweden in the round of 16 (3-0); suffered to overcome Paraguay in octaves (1-0); and in the quarterfinals against a Morocco did not get a major win for the great performance of goalkeeper Bono (2-0). The French Captain, Kylian Mbappé, already scores eight goals in the tournament.
The other semi-final, scheduled for the next day in Atlanta, will emerge from the winners of the duels Norway-England and Argentina-Switzerland.
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