Spain leave it late to book semifinal date with France
Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 in the World Cup quarterfinals thanks to a late goal by substitute Mikel Merino. Spain will now advance to face France in the semifinals.
Why it matters
This match determines the path to the World Cup final, highlighting Spain's strong performance and depth in the tournament.
Mikel Merino comes off the bench to break Belgian hearts after slip from sub keeper Senne Lammens.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Spain's Mikel Merino celebrates scoring their second goal [Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuter] By AP Published On 10 Jul 2026 10 Jul 2026 Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute from a rebound yielded by backup Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens, and Spain advanced to the World Cup semifinals with a 2-1 victory.
Merino was the late hero for the second straight match for Spain, who advanced to face tournament favourite France in the semifinals on Tuesday in Dallas.
Merino came on in the 86th minute and scored from his second touch of the match, charging into the box and pouncing after Lammens spilled a Pau Cubarsi shot from outside the area.
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