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No surprise that Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente continues to keep faith in Mikel Merino as his impact substitute. Twice in the World Cup knockout stages, the Arsenal midfielder has come off the bench to break deadlocks, and twice his left foot has carried Spain through. After his decisive strike against Portugal in Dallas earlier in the week, Merino was again the difference-maker under the Californian sun, reacting quickest to a goalkeeping mistake from Belgium. His emphatic finish into the roof of the net two minutes from time sealed a thrilling win and booked Spain’s place in a mouth-watering semi-final against France on Tuesday.

For Belgium, it was a heart-breaking end to what had been a valiant campaign. The turning point came with 20 minutes left when Thibaut Courtois – among the world’s elite goalkeepers – limped off in tears after suffering a thigh injury. Manchester United’s Senne Lammens, the backup, replaced him, but it was his costly spill of a long-range shot from Pau Cubarsi that created the chance for Merino to pounce. His fumble will linger as the defining image of Belgium’s World Cup exit.

Spain, the reigning European champions, march on despite an unconvincing display. Belgium fashioned several decent opportunities in the second half but failed to capitalise. Nearly 16 years after their golden generation lifted the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, this 2026 side have taken another step towards repeating that triumph. They now face Kylian Mbappe and France’s explosive attack at the air-conditioned Dallas Stadium. That encounter promises to be a blockbuster.

Spain’s remarkable unbeaten streak in competitive matches has now reached 36 games. Although their run of 650 World Cup minutes without conceding a goal ended here, their main objective remains firmly on track. As they acknowledged the 70,000 fans in Los Angeles—most of them Spanish supporters—they could take satisfaction in their progress, even if it was hard-earned.

This was the first meeting between Spain and Belgium in ten years. Spain have gone 11 matches unbeaten against the Belgians since their penalty shootout defeat in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final in Puebla, Mexico. Under the sweltering midday heat in Inglewood, many wondered if Belgium could produce another upset.

Perhaps that historical weight prompted Belgium coach Rudi Garcia to recall his star duo Jeremy Doku and Kevin De Bruyne, both surprisingly benched in the previous round against the USA. However, Belgium suffered a major setback minutes before kick-off when captain Youri Tielemans pulled up with a hamstring injury during warm-up.

Despite that blow, Belgium matched Spain in the opening quarter of play—an interval format unique to this World Cup. Doku, whose tournament had been overshadowed by off-field headlines about his wife giving birth, was lively on the counterattack, weaving past defenders with ease. Spain’s young sensation Lamine Yamal had the first real chance after 20 minutes, cutting inside on his left foot but shooting wide. Yet against a side of Spain’s calibre, one lapse in concentration can prove fatal. Around the half-hour mark, Belgium’s defence switched off and paid the price.

Pedro Porro played a slick one-two with Yamal down the right flank before squaring for Dani Olmo in the box. Courtois saved Olmo’s attempt but could only push the ball into the path of Fabian Ruiz, who was filling in for Pedri. Ruiz calmly tapped home to give Spain the lead. Given Courtois’s pedigree, he would have expected to do better. Spain had never lost in any of the 48 international matches Ruiz had featured in, and once again it looked like La Roja were on course.

Yamal continued to torment left-back Maxim De Cuyper, forcing another strong save from Courtois with a curling free-kick. But four minutes before the break, Spain’s defensive record was finally broken.

Charles De Ketelaere struck the equaliser after a move orchestrated by De Bruyne. The stand-in captain slipped a deft pass to Timothy Castagne on the right, whose low cross was met by De Ketelaere at the near post. The forward got in front of Cubarsi to glance the ball past Unai Simon, ending Spain’s 650-minute World Cup clean sheet streak.

After the interval, both sides traded chances. De Cuyper lashed into the side netting when well placed, while Yamal’s finishing continued to frustrate. With the game finely balanced, Luis de la Fuente introduced Ferran Torres and Pedri in a bold double substitution after 55 minutes. Belgium, meanwhile, looked increasingly threatening on the break, especially when Romelu Lukaku came on. They even had a penalty appeal waved away when a cross brushed Rodri’s arm.

Then came the decisive twist. Courtois collapsed clutching his thigh and wept as he realised his tournament was over. Lammens stepped in, but the substitute goalkeeper would soon be centre stage for the wrong reasons. De Bruyne, battling cramps, nearly scored from 40 yards with Simon out of position, only for Rodri to make a crucial block.

As Belgium dropped deep in the closing minutes, Cubarsi ventured forward unchallenged and unleashed a speculative shot. Lammens failed to gather cleanly, spilling the ball straight into the path of Merino, who smashed it in for his second consecutive late winner. Spain’s dream of a second World Cup crown remains alive, while Belgium’s heartbreak deepens.