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With the remnants facing the enemy, Belgium may be defeated yet still honored; as a veteran’s curtain falls, can Spain carry the torch?

On July 11, 2026 Canada–Mexico–United States World Cup quarterfinals delivered a marquee matchup. Spain, thanks to substitute hero Merino’s stoppage-time winner, overturned Belgium 2-1 to advance to the World Cup semifinals—marking Spain’s first appearance in a World Cup semifinal in 16 years. In the semifinals, they will face the formidable France national team.

Spain’s path to advancement in this World Cup has been full of twists. In their first group match, they were unexpectedly held to a draw by newcomers Cape Verde, causing a major upset. After that, the team quickly regained form, smashing Saudi Arabia in succession and edging out Uruguay, ultimately advancing as group winners.

In the knockout stage, Spain’s momentum stayed hot. They kept clean sheets against Austria in turn and then struck a decisive blow against Portugal, moving steadily into the quarterfinals.

By contrast, Belgium’s performance in the group stage was ordinary. They drew with Egypt and Iran in their first two rounds, and only in the final group match did they stabilize their top spot with a dominant 5-1 win over New Zealand. In the knockout stage, Belgium displayed gritty resilience: in the Round of 32, they staged a stunning 3-2 comeback in extra time against Senegal; in the Round of 16, they cruised past the United States 4-1 to secure a place in the quarterfinals. From a head-to-head perspective, Spain has long held the advantage over Belgium, recording an impressive 7 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses in their most recent 12 meetings.

Belgium suffered serious injury troubles in this match. Both midfield mainstays, Tieleman and Onana, were sidelined, damaging the team’s attack-and-defense system.

35-year-old veteran De Bruyne returned to the starting lineup to anchor the midfield, while the 33-year-old Lukaku continued to wait on the bench. With little choice, the team had to battle with a makeshift lineup.

Dramatic plot twist! Courtois’ injury became the key turning point

The tempo was tight in the first half, with attacks and transitions moving at a very fast pace.

In the 30th minute, Spain broke the deadlock first. Olmo’s shot was brilliantly saved by Belgium goalkeeper Courtois. Fabian Ruiz followed with quick instincts to pounce on the rebound and convert, helping Spain take a 1-0 lead.

However, Belgium responded quickly. In the 41st minute, De Ketelaere latched onto a precise cross from Kástant e and scored with a header to level the match 1-1. This goal also ended Spain’s super-long unbeaten shutout run. The record of 650 minutes without conceding—set by goalkeeper Simon—was brought to a stop. Riding on recent consistency, De Ketelaere scored 3 goals in the last two knockout matches, matching Lukaku and tying for first place on Belgium’s World Cup knockout stage top-scorer list.

In the second half, both teams became locked in a fierce tug-of-war as the intensity of the clashes continued to rise. In the 61st minute, a suspected handball inside Rodri’s area led Belgium players to lodge a collective complaint, but the referee did not make any decision; the score remained unchanged.

In the 69th minute, the match reached a critical turning point. Belgium’s key goalkeeper Courtois, who had repeatedly produced brilliant saves, was unexpectedly injured and could not continue. He was replaced by Manchester United goalkeeper Rasmus, significantly weakening Belgium’s defensive strength in front of goal.

After that, Spain kept pressing. Yamal repeatedly found chances. In the 82nd minute, his forceful shot was blocked. In the 83rd minute, he squandered another one-on-one opportunity. Time and again, they failed to change the score.

A miracle in a hundred seconds! Merino’s consecutive winner renews records

In the 86th minute, Spain made a substitution. Merino came on for Olmo, and this change became the winning omen for the match. Just 117 seconds after entering the field, Merino created a classic moment: in the 88th minute, Kuba’s long-range shot from the edge of the big box drew a fumble from substitute goalkeeper Rasmus. Merino was sharp to follow up and slot in the stoppage winner, helping Spain complete the turnaround and win 2-1.

The value of this goal was immense. It not only secured the team’s victory and pushed them into the top four, but also refreshed football records. Merino’s achievement of breaking through as a substitute in 117 seconds shattered Soria’s 159-second record for the fastest World Cup substitute goal by a Spanish player, set in 1982. The 42-year-old historical record was thus consigned to the past.

Even more noteworthy, Merino completed the “miracle” of scoring consecutive knockout-stage winners at the World Cup.

In the previous round against Portugal, it was he who entered as a substitute and scored the only goal of the match in the 90th minute, securing the team’s progression. In this match, he again came off the bench to deliver a winner. In two decisive matches, he locked in Spain’s fate almost single-handedly, becoming the biggest contributor to their top-four finish.

The curtain falls on youth! Belgium’s “golden generation” officially bids farewell to the World Cup stage

After this defeat, Belgium’s run ended in the quarterfinals, and they also formally announced that their golden generation built around De Bruyne, Lukaku, Courtois, and Witsel would completely end their World Cup journey. The peak era of the European “Red Devils” has officially come to a close.

Belgium’s golden generation rose strongly starting in 2014. At that time, club superstars including Hazard, Kompany, Fellaini, and Vertonghen all converged on the national team. The lineup was star-studded, and the team had long occupied the top spot in the FIFA world rankings. The 2018 Russia World Cup was the peak moment in the team’s history: Belgium advanced to the semifinals by eliminating Brazil along the way and ultimately won third place, creating the best World Cup performance in team history. They were once regarded as favorites for the title.

But this legendary team never managed to reach the very top. They repeatedly faced disappointment: the 2020 European Championship ended in the quarterfinals, while the 2022 Qatar World Cup ended early in the group stage due to internal disputes. As Hazard retired into the shadows, stalwarts like Kompany, Fellaini, and Vertonghen gradually stepped away and faded from the national team. The once-luxurious lineup fell apart.

In this Canada–Mexico–United States World Cup, only four aging veterans—De Bruyne, Lukaku, Courtois, and Witsel—were still holding on. Now, with injuries to key players and their elimination, the golden generation has come to a complete end. Although rising players like De Ketelaere and Doku have gradually grown, the gap in World Cup match experience and individual hard quality from their predecessors is evident. In the short term, Belgium cannot reshape the top-level competitiveness of the European Red Devils. At this point, Belgium bids farewell to the ranks of the world’s top elite teams.

July 10, Spain players celebrate a goal in the match. Xinhua News Agency

Spain, returning to the World Cup semifinals after 16 years, continues the team’s deep tournament pedigree. It is also worth noting that Spain’s last appearance in a World Cup semifinal ended with them successfully winning the title. Now, with a young lineup full of resilience and substitute “impact” players performing brilliantly, they will next face a formidable opponent in the semifinals—France—as they launch an assault on the final stage.