On July 10, the second semi-finalist of the 2026 World Cup was determined. Spain triumphed over Belgium with a 2-1 victory in a hard-fought quarter-final match, securing a place in the semi-finals where they will face France.
The Spaniards started the match on the front foot and broke the deadlock in the 30th minute. After an initial strike by Dani Olmo, the ball fell to Fabian Ruiz, who made no mistake in clinically finding the back of the Belgian net. However, Belgium drew level before the interval: Charles De Ketelaere met a Timothy Castagne cross with a precise header, marking the first time Spain's defense had been breached in this tournament.
The second half saw a largely evenly matched contest. Belgium carved out several dangerous opportunities, but the Spanish side gradually re-established their dominance. The breakthrough came in the 88th minute when substitute Mikel Merino was first to the rebound following a lapse by reserve goalkeeper Senne Lammens, securing a 2-1 victory for his team. This marks Merino's second consecutive match-winning goal in the knockout rounds.
Spain has reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2010. Despite conceding for the first time in the competition, the team’s organized play and composure in decisive moments have cemented their status as a primary title contender.
Fans can now look forward to a mouth-watering semi-final clash: France vs. Spain. The match will take place on July 14 and will determine the first finalist of the 2026 World Cup.
If you wish, I can also provide a beautifully formatted table for this article in the same style as the one for the France–Morocco match.
