Merino breaks Belgian hearts as Spain march into World Cup semi-finals
A late substitute’s goal, a goalkeeper’s costly error, and a performance of quietly ruthless efficiency send La Roja through to face France in Dallas
By Martin Weche
Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 in a tense World Cup quarter-final at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, yesterday, with substitute Mikel Merino scoring the winner two minutes after coming off the bench to send La Roja into the semi-finals, where they will face France on Tuesday.
It was a victory built on Spanish character as much as Spanish quality. Fabián Ruiz had given Spain the lead in the 30th minute, capitalising on a rebound after Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois fumbled a shot he should have held. Charles De Ketelaere equalised for Belgium to level the contest and give the Red Devils hope they could force their way to an upset. That hope intensified when Courtois limped off with a muscular injury in the 73rd minute, replaced by backup Senne Lammens — a change that would prove decisive in the cruellest possible way.
Spain pressed relentlessly in search of a winner. They finished with 16 shot attempts to Belgium’s five, a statistic that told the story of a match Belgium had decided to defend deeply and threaten only on the counter. Luis de la Fuente, Spain’s coach, responded to the stalemate by introducing Merino, and the midfielder needed less than two minutes to justify the decision. When Lammens stopped a shot by Pau Cubarsi in the 88th minute, Merino got to the rebound fast enough to steer the ball home and send the Spanish supporters inside SoFi Stadium into delirium.
Lammens, thrust into one of football’s most unforgiving stages with no time to settle, could only sit dejected as the net rippled behind him.
The result continued a remarkable defensive run for Spain. Goalkeeper Unai Simón had not conceded in 519 consecutive minutes across the past two World Cups entering the match — a statistic that had begun to feel almost mythological. Belgium finally ended it, but the record had served its purpose: it had carried Spain to within one win of a World Cup final.
Belgium had arrived in California as genuine contenders. The Red Devils were the tournament’s third-highest scorers, averaging 2.6 goals per game across five matches, and their round-of-16 demolition of the United States — 4-1 — had been one of the most commanding performances of the tournament. Captain Youri Tielemans had been absent from the start after suffering an injury during the warm-up, a blow that disrupted Belgium’s rhythm before a ball was kicked.
De la Fuente was measured in victory but left no doubt about his team’s ambitions. “Let me be clear — we are not finished,” he said through a translator after the final whistle. “We are here for more.” Up next is France, arguably the tournament’s most dominant side, in what promises to be a high-stakes all-European semi-final.
For Spain, the path to a second World Cup triumph — 16 years after their first — remains intact. For Belgium, the pain of another near-miss will linger long after the Californian lights have faded.
When it mattered most, Spain found a way. They almost always do.
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