Belgium came off securing a desired 4-1 victory against the USA following a controversial episode involving the Folarin Balogun case. With the win, they secured their spot in the quarterfinals and eliminated the USMNT. They will face Spain, who eliminated Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
The duel between Spain and Belgium is scheduled for July 10 at 3:00 PM ET at Los Angeles Stadium, also known as SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The matchup will feature two European sides where anything can happen.
Spain and Belgium face a tight outlook on their path to the final, but they have made a statement. Spain eliminated a contender like Portugal, while Belgium secured a great result against a side that was both a revelation and one of the tournament hosts.
How Spain and Belgium secured qualification
Spain secured a dramatic qualification by defeating Portugal 1-0 with a late goal from Mikel Merino in the 90th minute, thanks to a precise assist from Ferran Torres—a result that marked Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup farewell.
Jeremy Doku #11 of Belgium
Meanwhile, Belgium eliminated the USA, who were looking to put together their best World Cup performance. With this, they knocked out the last remaining host country left alive in the tournament, leaving a question mark over whether we will see them participate in the next edition of the World Cup.
Belgium convincingly defeated the United States by a score of 4-1. For the Red Devils, Charles De Ketelaere scored a brace, while Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku each contributed a goal. For the Stars and Stripes, Malik Tillman pulled one back.
Spain vs Belgium in World Cup history
Spain and Belgium have faced each other twice in World Cup history. They first met in the quarterfinals of Mexico 1986. The match ended in a 1-1 tie during regulation, and the deadlock persisted through extra time before the Belgian side took a 5-4 victory in the penalty shootout.
Four years later, these teams crossed paths again at the Italy 1990 World Cup. On that occasion, they clashed in the group stage, where Spain earned a 2-1 victory over the Red Devils courtesy of goals from Michel and Alberto Gorriz.
