A dramatic 88th-minute winner from substitute Mikel Merino propelled Spain into the FIFA World Cup 2026™ semi-finals with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium. Luis de la Fuente’s men will now head to Dallas Stadium to face France in a highly anticipated heavyweight showdown.

Unlikely Heroes Step Up for La Roja

Spain’s tactical depth proved decisive from the opening whistle. Midfielder Fabian Ruiz, a surprise inclusion in the starting lineup ahead of Pedri, broke the deadlock in the 30th minute. After Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois brilliantly parried Dani Olmo’s initial effort, Ruiz reacted quickest to smash home the rebound.

Spain looked dangerous throughout the first half, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal cutting inside and flashing a shot just wide of the post.

Belgium Strike Back Before the Break

Belgium refused to back down and caught Spain off guard just before halftime. Legendary playmaker Kevin De Bruyne unlocked the Spanish defense with an intuitive pass to Timothy Castagne. Castagne delivered a precise cross to Charles De Ketelaere, who cleverly timed his run to stay onside and head past Unai Simon in the 41st minute.

De Ketelaere’s equalizer ended Unai Simon’s historic tournament streak without conceding at 650 minutes. Simon had already broken Walter Zenga’s long-standing World Cup record of 517 scoreless minutes set during Italia ’90.

Goalkeeping Drama Leads to Merino’s Winner

The match took a massive turn in the 71st minute when Courtois was forced off due to an injury. He was replaced by backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

With the match seemingly heading to extra time, Spain launched a late assault. In the 88th minute, teenage defender Pau Cubarsi unleashed a powerful long-range drive. Lammens failed to handle the stinging shot, spilling the ball into the box. Merino, who had only been on the pitch for a matter of minutes, pounced on the loose ball and lashed it into the net to trigger wild Spanish celebrations.

Historic Unbeaten Run Continues

With this victory, Spain extended their incredible unbeaten streak to 36 matches, dating back to their last defeat against Colombia. This feat equals the legendary 36-game undefeated run set by Lionel Messi’s Argentina between 2019 and 2022. La Roja now sit just one game away from matching Italy’s all-time world record of 37 unbeaten matches.