Spain vs Belgium - prediction, team news, lineups | World Cup 2026

Closing successful connected a 2nd planetary crown, erstwhile winners Spain volition play eternal bridesmaids Belgium successful Friday's 2nd World Cup 2026 quarter-final.

Set to conscionable successful Los Angeles, the European nations are 1 measurement distant from a semi-final against France oregon Morocco.

Match preview

Nearly 16 years to the time since their groundbreaking occurrence successful South Africa, Spain present basal 3 wins from different sensation of World Cup glory.

So acold this summer, Luis de la Fuente's broadside person topped Group H and strolled past Austria successful the archetypal knockout round, earlier facing a last-16 necktie against Portugal.

Beaten by their Iberian rivals successful past year's UEFA Nations League final, it was La Roja who prevailed erstwhile it truly mattered, arsenic Mikel Merino's precocious extremity divided the sides.

That acceptable up Spain's sixth World Cup quarter-final; aft being eliminated successful each of the archetypal four, they knocked retired Paraguay earlier yet lifting the trophy successful 2010.

Solidity has held the key. The lone squad yet to concede a extremity astatine these finals, they person present kept a grounds six consecutive cleanable sheets astatine the World Cup - that tally accounts for much than 10 hours of football.

Under De La Fuente, the reigning European champions person besides progressed from each six large knockout matches to date, suggesting they could beryllium precise hard to stop.

Not lone that, but past volition measurement heavy connected La Roja's broadside erstwhile gathering Belgium's Red Devils: they person won 9 of the nations' past 11 meetings, since suffering decision astatine Euro 1980. 

However, the astir caller brushwood took spot astir 10 years ago, and up of the pair's 3rd World Cup contention determination has been 1 triumph apiece truthful far.

Belgium person progressed from 2 of 3 erstwhile World Cup quarter-finals, and they tin present purpose to replicate the feted 1986 squad that dumped retired nary different than Spain astatine that stage.

This year, the Red Devils finished apical of Group G contempt immoderate unconvincing displays, past stole a melodramatic 3-2 triumph implicit Senegal successful the past 32. 

With penalties looming, skipper Youri Tielemans scored the latest World Cup extremity connected record, which acceptable up a showdown successful Seattle with the USA.

Already the taxable of overmuch scrutiny, French manager Rudi Garcia took a hazard by leaving Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku and all-time apical scorer Romelu Lukaku connected the bench, but helium was rewarded with a stunning 4-1 success.

Charles De Ketelaere recovered the nett twice, earlier Hans Vanaken added Belgium's third; to headdress it each off, Lukaku belatedly arrived to people for the 3rd consecutive crippled arsenic a substitute. 

After aggravated pre-game contention astir the Folarin Balogun saga, Garcia's broadside emphatically ended the co-hosts' hopes, portion keeping their awesome extremity mean astatine this tourney supra 2.5 per game.

It is just to accidental fewer predicted this crook of events. Group signifier elimination astatine Qatar 2022 was thought to herald the extremity for a fading 'golden generation', but the Belgians are present unbeaten successful 18 games and inactive person their eyes connected football's top prize.

Spain World Cup form:

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Spain signifier (all competitions):

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Belgium World Cup form:

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Belgium signifier (all competitions):

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Team News

Spain person kept a comparatively settled broadside since their opening game, and De La Fuente is improbable to tinker excessively overmuch with his lineup connected Friday.

The main debates are whether Marcos Llorente, Fabian Ruiz oregon last-16 matchwinner Merino tin unit their mode into the starting XI. 

Set for the seat erstwhile again, Nico Williams is inactive abbreviated of afloat fittingness aft an adductor injury, but chap Euro 2024 prima Lamine Yamal volition commencement connected La Roja's close wing.

Up front, Real Sociedad guardant Mikel Oyarzabal has recorded 23 extremity involvements from his past 17 planetary starts.

Meanwhile, De Ketelaere is expected to proceed arsenic Belgium's mendacious nine, with Lukaku again consigned to the bench; the second notched his 93rd national-team onslaught past clip out. 

Dropped against the US, De Bruyne had been substituted successful each of the archetypal 4 matches - having antecedently played the afloat crippled successful 13 consecutive World Cup appearances - but helium could instrumentality for the quarter-final.

There is present a vacancy successful midfield, arsenic Amadou Onana suffered the agony of an ACL wounded connected Monday; Vanaken and Nicolas Raskin whitethorn besides travel into Garcia's thinking.

Formerly archetypal choice, Zeno Debast has yet to diagnostic astatine these finals owed to a limb injury, truthful the Belgian backmost 4 should enactment unchanged.

Spain imaginable starting lineup:

Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal

Belgium imaginable starting lineup:

Courtois; Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele, De Cuyper; Vanaken, Tielemans; Lukebakio, De Bruyne, Trossard; De Ketelaere

We say: Spain 1-0 Belgium 

There whitethorn beryllium much grit than glamour successful this all-European clash, arsenic Spain thin to support opponents astatine bay by dominating the shot and suffocating them into submission.

For their part, Belgium person scored freely, but going up against 1 of the favourites according to Sports Mole's World Cup betting guide volition surely beryllium 1 measurement excessively far.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.