Spain and Belgium meet in their 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal on Friday, July 10, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. ET from Los Angeles Stadium.
Spain have been near-flawless through five matches, going 4-0-1 with nine goals scored and none conceded. Goalkeeper Unai Simón has set a World Cup record with six consecutive clean sheets and a shutout streak of 609 minutes spanning across the 2022 and 2026 tournaments. Mikel Oyarzabal leads Spain’s attack with four goals in the World Cup so far.Â
Belgium arrive having gone 3-0-2 across five matches, with Romelu Lukaku scoring three times in the tournament so far, including a decisive goal off the bench in the 4-1 round of 16 win over the USA that extended Belgium’s unbeaten streak to 18 matches.
Below are the details on how to watch.
Spain’s control of the middle, especially through Rodri, is the thing to watch.
Spain has played this tournament with a chokehold on games. It is averaging 65.6 minutes of possession per match, and Rodri is tied for the team lead with 7 chances created among the midfielders driving that control. When Spain gets its rhythm, it pins teams back with volume passing and keeps the ball in the final third long enough to turn pressure into clean looks.
Belgium has enough quality to push back there. Leandro Trossard has created 15 chances in the tournament, and Belgium’s attack has shown it can generate danger even without dominating the ball. If Belgium can break Spain’s midfield line and get into quicker attacking sequences, the match changes shape fast.
Watch the first stretch after kickoff. If Rodri is receiving cleanly and turning forward, Spain is likely dictating the terms.
The Arsenal winger has arguably been Belgiums best player at this World Cup with two goals and two assists so far in the tournament (with those goal contributions all coming in the last three games). He has been instrumental in taking shots and creating chances. He could be the Red Devils most important option in trying to break down Spains impenetrable defense.
Spain will eventually be required to score more goals to have a realistic chance of winning the title. It will not be able to completely defend its way through the World Cup. Barcelonas Yamal, 18, is the best teenager in the game and has already been nominated for the Ballon dOr. Through five games at this tournament, he has only one goal and no assists. If he can find the form he displayed this season at Barcelona, Spain will be in great shape.
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