​Fabián Ruiz broke the deadlock in a scoreless Spain-Belgium clash on Friday, driving home a rebound to give La Roja the lead in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal and leaving Spain just one win away from a semifinal date with France. The finish came from a midfielder who wasn’t even slated to start. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente had benched Pedri in favor of Ruiz for the knockout match, and the decision paid off before the half-hour mark at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The sequence began on Spain’s right flank, where Lamine Yamal released fullback Pedro Porro down the line. Porro delivered a low cross that Dani Olmo met with a first-time shot, only for Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to parry it away. Ruiz arrived a step ahead of the Belgian defense to clean up the rebound and push Spain ahead 1-0. It was Ruiz’s first goal of the tournament and served as validation for de la Fuente’s choice to start him over Pedri, one of the sport’s most decorated young midfielders.
Belgium, already missing captain Youri Tielemans, entered the match short-handed. Tielemans pulled up with a hamstring injury during warmups, forcing Hans Vanaken into the Belgian midfield on short notice. Spain, meanwhile, extended a defensive shutout streak that began with their performance at the 2022 World Cup, as they have allowed no goals in this tournament. That foundation has underpinned a Spanish side built around the creative spark of Yamal and a midfield trio capable of controlling long, patient passages of play without resorting to forced tactics.
The winner’s path from Friday’s match will lead to a semifinal against France, who eliminated Morocco 2-0 the day before and now await the victor. A quarterfinal berth already stands as Spain’s best World Cup showing since their 2010 triumph, and Ruiz’s goal has positioned La Roja to extend that run even further.
Ruiz’s journey to this moment is a portrait of persistence and growth. Born April 3, 1996, in Los Palacios y Villafranca near Seville, he joined Real Betis’ academy at age eight and progressed through the club’s youth system before a loan spell at Elche sharpened him into a first-team regular at Betis. His performances eventually convinced Betis to sell him to Napoli for a reported €30 million in the summer of 2018, launching a four-year stint in Naples that established him as one of Serie A’s most complete central midfielders.
Paris Saint-Germain then acquired Ruiz in 2022, and the move has yielded a trophy haul few midfielders across Europe can match. He has added multiple Ligue 1 titles to his resume in the French capital and scored a pivotal goal during PSG’s run to the 2025 Champions League title, volleying home a semifinal strike that helped propel the club toward the final. As his club career has flourished, Ruiz has continued to demonstrate a talent for delivering in the biggest stages, and his impact for Spain in this world championship campaign has reinforced his reputation as a player who can change the course of a match when it matters most.