Spain’s Mikel Merino (6) celebrates scoring their second aim through the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Spain and Belgium in Inglewood, Calif., close to Los Angeles, Friday, July 10, 2026.
Mark J. Terrill/AP
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Mark J. Terrill/AP
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Mikel Merino is Spain’s World Cup hero as soon as once more, and even he finds it arduous to consider.
A mere 4 days after Merino scored a clutch aim in its place in damage time to beat Portugal, he discovered himself in the fitting spot once more within the quarterfinals when Belgium’s backup goalkeeper spilled the ball into his path.
Merino booted it house within the 88th minute, sending Spain to a 2-1 victory Friday and right into a titanic semifinal showdown with match favourite France.
“I’ve done this again, and it’s happened to me again, so it would seem that coincidence exists,” a smiling Merino mentioned. “If you’re ready and you try, I guess it can happen for you.”
Already a flexible contributor in any function he can get as a depth participant for his nation or English membership Arsenal, the multi-positional Merino has remodeled into the last word super-sub whereas offering precisely what Spain wanted to outlive two knockout matches towards high opponents.
Merino has scored two objectives in his first World Cup — and so they’re each historic.
“Honestly, it’s crazy to be able to help the team once again,” he mentioned. “This time in a different way, but at the same time to believe and trust that the opposing goalkeeper could make a mistake and to stay alert. … I prepare for when the moment comes, and hopefully they keep coming.”
Merino is the primary to confess he additionally wanted luck, and Belgium keeper Senne Lammens supplied it after he was pressured into his first World Cup match within the 71st minute by an damage to starter Thibaut Courtois.
Merino got here on within the 86th minute and scored on his second contact of the match, charging into the field and pouncing after Lammens misplaced management of Pau Cubarsí’s lengthy shot.
Fabián Ruiz scored a rebound aim within the thirtieth minute for Spain, however Belgium ahead Charles De Ketelaere evened it with the primary aim allowed by the Spanish group in all the World Cup within the forty first minute.
Merino’s clutch aim towards an upset-minded Belgium despatched La Roja to the semifinals for the primary time since they received the World Cup in 2010. A powerhouse matchup with France has been anticipated because the draw was introduced late final yr, and Spain was grateful to safe its spot.
“We came here for this, to play against the best teams in the world,” Merino mentioned. “We are confident in our possibilities, at the same time respecting the opposition. This is one of those games that you dream of when you’re a kid, and now we have the chance to compete against a massive rival. Hopefully we’ll get the win.”
Spain’s Fabian Ruiz (8) scores their opening aim through the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Spain and Belgium in Inglewood, Calif., close to Los Angeles, Friday, July 10, 2026.
Gregory Bull/AP
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Gregory Bull/AP
Spain and France will meet Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, in a matchup anticipated for years. Neither group has misplaced at this yr’s World Cup.
“It will be a clash of giants,” Spain coach Luis De La Fuente mentioned by way of a translator. “We are capable of winning this game — and not just now, but I would have said this a few weeks ago as well. They are a great giant of football, but I trust our team.”
Courtois made 4 saves, however the Actual Madrid keeper went right down to the grass within the second half after an extended kick. He obtained remedy through the hydration break, however broke down in tears when coach Rudi Garcia eliminated him moments later.
Solely Germany’s Manuel Neuer has performed extra World Cup matches than Courtois’ 21. Lammens, the succesful Manchester United keeper, was pressured to turn into the primary goalkeeper aside from Courtois to play for Belgium within the final 4 World Cup tournaments — and he wasn’t capable of make the play that will have stored it degree.
“We were on equal footing with Spain, and we have nothing to feel bad about,” Garcia mentioned. “In the first half, they only had one chance, but they were very efficient. Unfortunately, to beat a team of this caliber, you need luck on your side as well, and it was too much for us to get into the semifinals.”
Belgium desperately pressed for an equalizer within the closing minutes with substitute ahead Romelu Lukaku main the hassle, however Aymeric Laporte acrobatically volleyed the very best probability out of the field within the second minute of damage time.
“We knew how we could hurt them, and I think we did this today,” Belgium defender Brandon Mechele mentioned. “It’s a pity that it ended like this, but I think we can be proud of the tournament we played.”
Spain remained unbeaten in 37 straight aggressive matches since March 2023, whereas Belgium’s streak of 18 consecutive unbeaten matches throughout all competitions ended.
Spain did not enable a aim in its first 5 matches at this yr’s match, and goalkeeper Unai Simón hadn’t conceded in a World Cup-record 650 minutes courting to Qatar.
The streaks abruptly ended when De Ketelaere muscled previous Cubarsí and headed house a cross from Timothy Castagne for Belgium’s tying aim.
Belgium hadn’t generated something near a powerful scoring probability earlier than the newest large second for De Ketelaere, the Atalanta ahead who scored two objectives in Belgium’s 4-1 rout of the co-host U.S. on Monday.
Belgium captain Youri Tielemans was faraway from the beginning lineup after getting injured throughout warmups. He joined injured defender Amadou Onana on the sidelines.
