Los Angeles: Spain and Belgium meet in World Cup quarter-final
Spain Faces Belgium in Quarter-Final Clash
Spain is set to compete against Belgium in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals. The match, taking place at Los Angeles Stadium, marks a significant encounter for both teams vying for a spot in the semi-finals. This will be the third meeting between these two nations in a FIFA World Cup, and their second at the quarter-final stage.
Historically, Belgium advanced past Spain on penalties in 1986 after their quarter-final match ended in a 1-1 draw. Spain also secured a 2-1 group stage victory against Belgium in 1990. More recently, Spain has maintained an unbeaten record in their last 11 encounters with Belgium across all competitions, including nine wins and two draws. Their last defeat to Belgium was at Euro 1980. La Roja has won their last five consecutive games against the Red Devils with a combined score of 13-1.
Squad Changes and Tactical Decisions for Spain
For this crucial quarter-final match, Spain has made one change to their starting lineup. Fabian Ruiz has been brought into the starting XI, replacing Pedri, who will be on the bench. This decision marks the first time in the current World Cup that the Barcelona midfielder has not started for Spain, having previously started every group-stage and knockout fixture.
While there has been no official confirmation regarding the reason for Pedri‘s benching, it does not appear to be due to injury or fitness concerns. He was substituted in the 85th minute of Spain‘s Round of 16 match without showing any visible discomfort. Reports suggest that Luis de la Fuente‘s decision might be a tactical one, as Pedri has reportedly not been at his best in the tournament so far, and Fabian Ruiz performed well coming off the bench against Portugal.
The possibility remains that Luis de la Fuente could introduce Pedri later in the match to provide fresh energy and creative impetus, especially if Belgium, known for strong performances and late comebacks, makes an impact. Another notable player on Spain‘s bench is Nico Williams, who is still recovering from an injury sustained in Spain‘s final group-stage match against Uruguay.
Spain‘s starting lineup for the quarter-final against Belgium includes Unai Simon, Marc Cucurella, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsí, Pedro Porro, Fabian Ruiz, Rodri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena, and Mikel Oyarzabal.
Spain’s World Cup Record and Defensive Strength
This match marks Spain‘s sixth appearance in a FIFA World Cup quarter-final. After being eliminated from their first four quarter-finals between 1934 and 2002, La Roja won their last quarter-final 1-0 against Paraguay in 2010, a tournament they ultimately won. Under manager Luis de la Fuente, Spain has successfully progressed from all six of their major tournament knockout games, which include both FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO matches.
Only two managers have achieved progression from their first seven knockout ties in major tournaments with European nations: Vittorio Pozzo, who achieved this eight times with Italy from 1934-1938, and Vicente del Bosque, who did so seven times with Spain from 2010-2012. Spain has also demonstrated exceptional defensive solidity in this tournament, keeping a clean sheet in each of their last six FIFA World Cup matches, which is the longest such run in the competition’s history. Their average expected goals against (xGA) per game in this year’s tournament is 0.30, the lowest on record since 1966 for any team in a finals edition.
Belgium’s Key Players and Tournament Form
Belgium, often referred to as the Red Devils, will rely on key players like Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku has scored in each of Belgium‘s last three FIFA World Cup games, becoming only the second player to achieve this feat for the team, following Marc Wilmots in 2002. Notably, all three of Lukaku‘s goals in the tournament have come as a substitute. Only Roger Milla, playing for Cameroon in 1990, has scored more goals from the bench at a single World Cup, with four.
The match is scheduled to take place on July 10.
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Source: theanalyst.com
