Spain edge Belgium 2-1 as Merino sends them through

Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal on Friday, with Mikel Merino striking the decisive goal in the 88th minute after Fabián Ruiz had opened the scoring. In a tight contest at SoFi Stadium, Merino’s late intervention sent Spain through after Belgium had battled back before the break.

Spain controlled long stretches of the fixture and that authority was reflected in both the flow of possession and the volume of chances. Luis de la Fuente’s side finished with 67.8 percent of the ball, 17 total shots and 8 efforts on target, repeatedly pinning Belgium back and forcing them to defend deep for extended spells.

The breakthrough arrived in the 30th minute when Fabián Ruiz put Spain ahead at 30′, capping a polished attacking move and rewarding the pressure Spain had built through midfield. Belgium, though, responded well and found their way back into the match before half-time. Charles De Ketelaere equalised at 41′, rising to score with a header and giving the Belgians a timely lift after spending much of the opening period without the ball.

At 1-1 heading into the interval, the quarterfinal remained delicately poised. Spain had dictated territory and tempo, but Belgium had shown they could still threaten in isolated moments. Pau Cubarsí’s yellow card at 43′ added a note of caution for Spain defensively, while Belgium’s compact shape continued to ask whether Spain could turn dominance into a second goal.

The second half unfolded largely on Spain’s terms. Belgium struggled to establish meaningful possession, ending the night with just 32.2 percent, one corner and only 5 shots overall. Kevin De Bruyne was booked at 85′ as the pressure mounted, a sign of Belgium’s increasing difficulty in slowing Spain’s combinations between the lines and around the edge of the box.

Just as extra time began to loom, Spain found the moment they had been pushing for. Mikel Merino scored at 88′, stepping up with another decisive late contribution to settle the fixture and continue one of the tournament’s emerging themes: Spain’s ability to produce in the biggest moments. Belgium could not find a second response, and Aymeric Laporte’s booking at 90’+3′ came as Spain managed the closing stages before Axel Witsel also entered the referee’s notebook at 90’+5′.

Key performers

Merino will take the headlines because his 88th-minute winner decided the quarterfinal, but Fabián Ruiz was hugely influential in Spain’s overall display. His goal at 30′ gave Spain early reward for their control, and his work in midfield helped sustain the pressure that eventually told. De Ketelaere deserves mention for Belgium as well, converting at 41′ and briefly shifting the momentum with a well-timed header.

From a tactical perspective, Spain’s midfield circulation and territorial control were the defining factors. Belgium stayed in the contest through efficiency rather than control, turning one of their two shots on target before the interval into a goal, but they ultimately spent too much of the match chasing the ball and defending their own area.

NerdSports Stat: Spain outshot Belgium 17-5 and generated 8 shots on target to 2, meaning they produced 3.4 times as many attempts and four times as many efforts on target in the quarterfinal.

This result sends Spain into the World Cup semifinals and keeps alive a growing sense that they are timing their run perfectly, with Merino again delivering a late tournament-defining moment. For Belgium, the defeat ends their campaign at the quarterfinal stage after a resilient but ultimately second-best performance. Spain’s next fixture now comes with a place in the final at stake.

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