Spain 2-1 Belgium: Merino’s Late Header Sends La Roja Into FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi-Finals
Mikel Merino came off the bench to head Spain into the World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a dramatic late winner, as La Roja’s relentless possession game eventually wore down a resilient Belgium side that had threatened an upset.
Spain win 2-1. Mikel Merino 88' winner sends La Roja into the semi-finals.
What happened
In a quarter-final that had everything — a composed opener, a sucker-punch equaliser, a goalkeeping substitution gamble, and a last-gasp header — Spain ultimately proved their class at Los Angeles Stadium on July 10. Mikel Merino, on the pitch for barely two minutes, powered home a header in the 88th minute to send Luis de la Fuente’s side into the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a 2-1 victory over a courageous Belgium. It was the kind of evening that football was built for: a technically superior Spain repeatedly probing, Belgium digging deep and counter-punching with menace, and the game hanging in the balance until the very end.
How it was won and lost
Spain’s Possession Dominance Sets the Tone
Spain controlled the game in the manner that has become their signature under De la Fuente — patient, positional, relentless. With 68% ball possession, 660 passes and a remarkable 90% passing accuracy, La Roja suffocated Belgium’s midfield and forced them into a low defensive block for long stretches. Rodrigo Hernández Cascante anchored the base, allowing Fabián Ruiz Peña and Daniel Olmo freedom to find pockets between Belgium’s lines. Spain’s 133 attacks to Belgium’s 71, and 83 dangerous attacks to Belgium’s 25, underscored the territorial dominance, even if the scoreboard remained tight.
Belgium’s Low Block and Lethal Counter
Belgium, aware of the quality differential, set up in a compact 5-4-1 or 4-5-1 shape — defending deep, winning second balls, and relying on the individual brilliance of Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku to hurt Spain on the transition. With only 32% possession and 313 passes, Domenico Tedesco’s side were unapologetically pragmatic. Their defensive output was significant — 5 saves from Courtois, 5 shots blocked, 10 interceptions, and 44 long passes used to release pressure. The plan nearly worked.
The Equaliser: Belgium’s Moment of Brilliance
Just when Spain appeared to be cruising into half-time with a slender lead, Belgium struck with a moment of genuine quality. Timothy Castagne’s assist released Charles De Ketelaere, who finished coolly to make it 1-1 in the 41st minute. The goal perfectly illustrated Belgium’s counter-attacking threat — quick ball progression through the lines, exploiting space left by Spain’s high defensive line. Pau Cubarsí, booked moments later, had been caught on the wrong side and was fortunate not to concede a more costly error.
Half-Time Adjustments and Spain’s Second-Half Pressure
Spain came out after the break with renewed urgency. De la Fuente moved quickly, introducing Pedri (Pedro González López) and Ferrán Torres in the 55th minute to add more creative energy and width. Spain’s 1-0 advantage in the second half alone — the 2nd half scoring was Spain 1, Belgium 0 — reflected growing control. With Ferrán Torres adding directness on the left and Pedri bringing technical sharpness in midfield, Spain began to squeeze Belgium deeper and deeper. The creation stats backed this up: 12 key passes and 2 big chances created for Spain across the full 90 minutes.
Belgium’s Goalkeeping Gamble
One of the defining tactical footnotes of the match was Belgium’s substitution of Thibaut Courtois in the 71st minute for Senne Lammens. Whether through injury or a precautionary decision, the loss of one of the world’s elite goalkeepers at such a critical juncture proved costly in hindsight. Courtois had made sharp saves to keep Belgium level and his commanding presence in the penalty area is precisely the kind of authority that might have prevented Merino’s winning header. Lammens, an able replacement, had no answer to the Basque midfielder’s late intervention.
Merino’s Moment and Spain’s Clinical Late Finish
The winning goal arrived in the 88th minute — a moment of clinical simplicity from a team that had been trying to find the breakthrough for over 30 minutes. Mikel Merino, introduced just seconds before, arrived at the back post to head home what proved to be the decisive goal. It was a testament to Spain’s set-piece and delivery work — 5 corners and 18 total crosses throughout the match created the platform. In a match where Belgium’s goalkeeper and defensive block had kept Spain at bay, a moment of aerial quality ultimately proved the difference.
Who decided it
Fabián Ruiz Peña
SpainFabián was the engine of Spain’s midfield, scoring the opening goal in the 30th minute and operating as the primary connective tissue between the defensive base and the attacking third. His goal was a reflection of his intelligent movement and technical composure. He was replaced at half-time of the second period as De la Fuente managed his workload.
His ability to arrive late into the penalty area while maintaining midfield structure is a hallmark of his play. Against Belgium’s compact block, Fabián’s dynamic runs provided the unpredictability Spain needed to break the defensive lines.
Mikel Merino Zazón
SpainIntroduced in the 86th minute, Merino needed just two minutes to write his name into this tournament’s story. His 88th-minute header from close range was the decisive blow in a match Spain had dominated without ultimately converting their dominance into a comfortable lead.
Merino’s presence as a physical, aerial option off the bench gave Spain an alternative dimension. The timing of the substitution — with Spain chasing the winner — proved tactically inspired from De la Fuente.
Charles De Ketelaere
BelgiumDe Ketelaere was Belgium’s creative spark and the author of their equaliser in the 41st minute. Quick in transition, technically composed, and dangerous in space, he was the focal point of Belgium’s attacking intent and gave Spain’s defence genuine problems throughout.
His goal demonstrated Belgium’s counter-attacking plan perfectly — rapid progression through midfield, exploitation of Spain’s high line, and a calm clinical finish under pressure.
Kevin De Bruyne
BelgiumCharacteristically combative and influential, De Bruyne orchestrated Belgium’s transitional play and pressed Spain’s build-up with intensity. He was booked in the 85th minute — a yellow card that reflected both his competitive desperation and the physical demands of the closing stages.
De Bruyne’s pressing triggers and distribution quality were central to Belgium’s ability to sustain their defensive shape and threaten on the break. His late substitution was a recognition of Belgium’s need to change the dynamic as time ran out.
Thibaut Courtois
BelgiumBefore his controversial substitution in the 71st minute, Courtois was outstanding. His 5 saves were a one-man statement of intent and his commanding presence made Spain’s conversion rate look wasteful — Spain managed 8 shots on target without breaching him while he was on the field.
Courtois single-handedly kept Belgium in the match and his departure proved a turning point. His loss of aerial authority in particular was arguably what allowed Merino’s winning header to find the net.
Where it sits in history
Spain’s passage to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals continues one of international football’s most enduring success stories. The 2010 World Cup winners have made the semi-finals of a major tournament feel like a natural destination for this generation of talent — a squad that includes Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, and Fabián Ruiz among the most technically gifted footballers of their era. Belgium, meanwhile, face further questions about the ceiling of a generation that has consistently promised more than it has ultimately delivered at the tournament stage. For a nation that produced De Bruyne, Lukaku, and Courtois simultaneously, a quarter-final exit — again — will sting deeply. Spain’s 2-1 victory echoes the resilient tournament performances of their golden generation, winning matches through patience, quality, and the ability to find a decisive moment when the pressure is at its most intense.
Inside the ground
Los Angeles Stadium, with its capacity of 70,242, provided a stunning backdrop for a match of genuine magnitude. The crowd, a vibrant tapestry of Spanish red and Belgian black-yellow-red, generated an atmosphere befitting a World Cup quarter-final. Spain’s late winner in the 88th minute produced scenes of pure euphoria in the stands, fans erupting in disbelief and delight in equal measure. Belgium’s supporters, who had dared to dream when De Ketelaere levelled just before half-time, were left to reflect on a performance of genuine heart that ultimately fell agonisingly short. The Californian evening provided the perfect stage for football at its most dramatic.
Looking ahead
Spain now advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals, where they will face one of the remaining last-eight winners. De la Fuente will be buoyed by the squad depth on display — the impact of Merino, Torres, and Pedri from the bench suggests La Roja have genuine options to rotate and refresh without any significant drop in quality. For Belgium, the tournament is over. The golden generation’s long goodbye continues, and with Courtois, De Bruyne, and Lukaku all in the later stages of their international careers, this may represent one of the final opportunities for this exceptional crop of talent to have made a deeper impression on the world stage.
The bottom line
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Spain advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a 2-1 victory over Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium.
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Mikel Merino’s 88th-minute header proved the decisive moment in a tense quarter-final.
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Fabián Ruiz Peña opened the scoring in the 30th minute before Charles De Ketelaere levelled for Belgium just before half-time.
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Spain dominated possession with 68% of the ball, 660 passes, and 90% passing accuracy.
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Thibaut Courtois made 5 saves before being substituted in the 71st minute — a decision that proved pivotal.
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Belgium’s tactical plan — compact defensive block and rapid counter-attack — nearly produced a famous upset.
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Spain created 12 key passes and 2 big chances, reflecting their sustained attacking intent throughout the match.
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Kevin De Bruyne received a yellow card in the 85th minute as Belgium grew increasingly desperate in the closing stages.
