​INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Spain’s run of clean sheets may have ended, but the momentum remained firmly in La Roja’s favor as they charted a course toward a marquee showdown with the tournament’s co-favorite, aided once again by Mikel Merino’s late-game magic. Just two minutes after entering the fray, the Arsenal midfielder delivered another clutch moment, crashing the box to bury a deflected rebound off Belgian substitute keeper Senne Lammens in the 87th minute for the go-ahead goal in a 2-1 Spanish quarterfinal victory Friday at SoFi Stadium. Merino, who also scored Spain’s lone goal off the bench in their Round of 16 win over Portugal, explained through a FIFA translator that luck plays a part, but his late-night heroics stem from preparation and a readiness to pounce when opportunities arise. “I believe in luck, but I don’t think this was luck,” Merino said. “If I have been able to score goals at key moments, it’s because I’m prepared to do it. You don’t have to expect my goals in the last minutes, but I’m prepared to do it.”
Fabian Ruiz, the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, opened the scoring for Spain with a rebound off Thibaut Courtois, the Real Madrid goalkeeper in the Belgian net at that moment, while Charles De Ketelaere headed home Belgium’s equalizer just before the half in the 41st minute. Belgium’s goal ended Unai Simón’s remarkable shutout streak for the tournament, the Athletic Bilbao keeper having not conceded in 649 consecutive minutes prior to the Belgian tally. After the match, Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente acknowledged the significance of the record while emphasizing the broader team effort behind the achievement. Through another FIFA translator, he noted that “the record and the milestone are there. What was done was exceptional. It’s been decades since the last record was set. I think it’s going to be many, many years before someone breaks his clean sheet record… It is no accident. Everyone works together. It is a team effort.”
Sunday’s match marked Los Angeles’ final World Cup appearance in 2026, as the tournament continues with semifinals in Dallas and Atlanta, the third-place game in Miami, and the Final in the New York/New Jersey area. Spain, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, will face tournament co-favorite France, ranked No. 1 and led by Golden Boot leader Kylian Mbappé (eight goals, three assists), in the semifinals set for Tuesday in Dallas.
“Everyone was waiting for this match to happen,” said Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, translating his comments for the FIFA audience. “France and Spain are the two best teams in the World Cup, and we’re not afraid. We’re going to stand up to them.” In just its second World Cup semifinal, Spain eyes its first trip back to the Final since their 2010 triumph in South Africa, the country’s only World Championship. France, meanwhile, has appeared in the previous two World Cup Finals, including its 2018 title, and Spanish fans remember a recent history-making clash between the nations in the 2024 European Championship semifinal, where Spain emerged victorious. Spain remains the reigning European champions as they prepare to take on a familiar foe in a bid for a return to the global final stage.
This matchup, one that fans have anticipated as a potential final in all but name, promises another ferocious battle between two of Europe’s heavyweights as they chase a place in a World Cup final for the first time since Spain’s title run a decade ago.