Bandwagon Quarterfinal · SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Spain
BelgiumFriday, July 10, 3:00 PM EDT · 📺 FOX
FT 2-1 · Spain advance
The tournament's meanest defense meets its luckiest survivors. Spain haven't conceded a single goal all World Cup — six straight clean sheets, a new tournament record. Belgium needed a 125th-minute penalty, a benched superstar, and a red card that got un-red-carded just to get here.
Winner books a semifinal spot against France or Morocco. Spain, the reigning European champions, are the tournament favorites and haven't trailed for a single minute all World Cup. Belgium are chasing their first World Cup semifinal since 2018.
Root for Spain if you like watching the best, most controlled soccer on the planet and a genuine teenage prodigy in Lamine Yamal. Root for Belgium if you enjoy chaos, villain energy, and a battle-scarred golden generation taking one last swing — and if you're still salty about anything, remember they're the team that just knocked out the USA.
01Sound smart about this
- Spain are the machine. They've won all five games, scored freely, and not conceded once — the first team ever to post six consecutive World Cup clean sheets. But they've had to grind: the Portugal game was scoreless until 91st-minute super-sub Mikel Merino buried a Ferran Torres cutback, a goal that ended 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup career.
- Belgium are the tournament's lightning rod. They trailed Senegal 2-0 with four minutes left in the Round of 32, rallied, then won on a Youri Tielemans penalty at 124 minutes and 44 seconds — the latest goal in World Cup history — off a call analysts widely panned. Then came the Balogun saga: FIFA suspended the USA striker's red-card ban (reportedly after President Trump phoned FIFA's Gianni Infantino), and Belgium's federation said it was 'astonished.' Belgium then beat the USA 4-1 anyway.
- Kevin De Bruyne, 35 and Belgium's captain, has openly framed this as his last World Cup — and he hasn't looked like himself. Manager Rudi Garcia benched him and Jeremy Doku for the USA game citing fitness, and Belgium didn't miss a beat as Charles De Ketelaere scored twice. Now Garcia has to decide whether to unleash his fading star against the best team in the world, or trust the kids who got him here.
02Players to actually watchtap a line to copy
The 18-year-old is already one of the best players alive — a left-footed magician on the right wing who bends games to his will. With Nico Williams still working back from an adductor injury, Spain lean on Yamal even more.
Say this“He's 18 and he's the best player on the best team. That's absurd.”
The metronome. He barely gives the ball away and never seems to tire — he basically decides how fast or slow the game goes. If Spain control the tempo, it's because of him.
Say this“Pedri hasn't misplaced a pass since about 2023 — he sets the whole rhythm.”
One of the greatest passers of his generation, on his last World Cup ride at 35. He's been off form and got benched last game — but one moment of his genius can crack even a defense that hasn't conceded all tournament.
Say this“If De Bruyne's got one great pass left in him, this is where he uses it.”
Pure terrifying speed and dribbling — the guy defenders have nightmares about. Belgium's whole plan is to soak up pressure and spring him on the counter. He was benched vs. the USA, so he should be fresh.
Say this“Doku is the fastest guy on the field and he knows it.”
03Ask thistap to copy
Spain literally haven't conceded a goal all tournament — is Belgium the team that finally scores, or does the machine roll on?
Should FIFA have overturned that USA red card after Trump reportedly called the FIFA president, or did Belgium get robbed of a fair game?
Belgium won on a 125th-minute penalty most analysts thought was a bad call — are they a great team or just a lucky one?
Does a fading 35-year-old Kevin De Bruyne still deserve to start his last World Cup, or has Belgium already moved past him?
Wait, so if nobody wins in regulation, it's extra time and then a penalty shootout — a coin flip to decide who makes the semifinals?
04Opinions you can safely have
- Spain are the best team in this tournament and it's not especially close.
- Belgium have ridden their luck to get here, but you don't reach a World Cup quarterfinal on luck alone.
- Whatever you think of the Balogun red-card reversal, it made a mess of the whole Round of 16.
05Jargon of the match
Soccer-speak for a shutout — a game where you don't concede a single goal. Spain have kept six in a row, a World Cup record. If Belgium scores, they end a streak that's lasted the entire tournament.
06The call
Spain's control and Belgium's habit of living dangerously point one way: Spain 2-0, with Yamal involved. Belgium's best hope is dragging it to penalties — where, as their 1986 quarterfinal against Spain proved, anything can happen.
Facts checked: 2026-07-13. Lineups drop ~1 hour before kickoff.