Spain secured a spot in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Mikel Merino scored a late winner, giving them a 2-1 victory over Belgium on Friday.
This win also marked Spain's unbeaten streak at a national record of 36 matches, setting up a thrilling semi-final match against France in Dallas on 14 July.
Merino was once again the hero for Spain, pushing the ball home in the 88th minute after Belgium's substitute goalkeeper, Senne Lammens, mishandled a seemingly simple shot. Lammens had just come on to replace the injured Thibaut Courtois.
The Arsenal midfielder has built a reputation for scoring important goals on big occasions. He previously scored extra-time and stoppage-time winners against Germany at UEFA Euro 2024 and Portugal in the Round of 16 in this tournament.
Spain took the lead through Fabián Ruiz, who finished calmly after a strong spell of play, giving Luis de la Fuente’s team an early advantage.
Belgium fought back, with Charles De Ketelaere scoring a powerful header to equalize, sending the teams into the final moments tied.
Just when it looked like extra time was on the way, Merino capitalized on Lammens’ mistake, sparking celebrations among Spanish players and fans.
Spain’s defense was breached for the first time in this tournament, but goalkeeper Unai Simón made history.
The goal ended Simón’s incredible run of 649 minutes without conceding in the FIFA World Cup, breaking the previous tournament record of 518 minutes set by Italy’s Walter Zenga in 1990.
With this latest win, Spain is just one game away from equalling Italy’s all-time international unbeaten record, showing the impressive consistency of De la Fuente’s squad.
The 2010 World Cup champions are now two wins away from claiming the World Cup trophy for the second time.
They will face France, who beat Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-finals thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé.
The upcoming semi-final is expected to be one of the most exciting matches of the tournament, with two of Europe’s top teams competing for a place in the World Cup final.
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