Spain Edges Belgium with Late Merino Goal to Reach World Cup Semifinals

Spain secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Belgium, with Mikel Merino scoring a late winner to propel the team into the 2026 World Cup semifinals. The win, however, saw Spain concede their first goal of the tournament.

Luis de la Fuente's squad took the lead in the 30th minute through Fabián Ruiz, who scored from a rebound after a collective play down the right flank. Despite Spain's dominance in the first half, Belgium equalized eleven minutes later with Charles De Ketelaere's third goal of the World Cup. The match appeared headed for extra time until Merino's decisive intervention.

Similar to Spain's Round of 16 match against Portugal, Merino came on as a substitute in the latter stages of the game. In the 88th minute, he found the back of the net against Belgium's goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who had replaced the injured Thibaut Courtois. This marks Merino's second match-winning goal as a late substitute in the tournament.

Spain's path to the final now involves a challenging semifinal clash against France. The team will need to overcome their next opponent to secure a spot in the championship match.