Skip to content
You can now search across every topic, entity and event.What's new
2026 FIFA World Cup
11JUL

Day 31: Merino sends Spain to World Cup semi

1 min read
10:15UTC

Substitute Mikel Merino struck in the 88th minute as Spain beat Belgium 2-1 in Los Angeles to reach the World Cup semi-finals, his second late knockout winner off the bench in four days. Spain, back in the last four for the first time since their 2010 title, meet France in Arlington on Tuesday. Belgium were the only side to score against Spain all tournament.

SportDani OlmoHarry Kane
Key takeaway

Spain reach a first World Cup semi-final since 2010 by winning late twice; they face an unbeaten France on Tuesday.

This briefing mapped
Loading map…
Competitive

Mikel Merino turned in an 88th-minute winner off a spilled shot as Spain beat Belgium 2-1, his second late knockout goal off the bench in four days.

Sources profile:This story draws on neutral-leaning sources from Qatar
Qatar
Deep dive into this story →
Sources:ESPN·Sporza·COPE·Al Jazeera
1 ESPN2 ESPN3 Sporza4 Sporza
Briefing analysis

Spain won their only World Cup in 2010, beating the Netherlands 1-0 in the final through Andres Iniesta's extra-time goal. That run was defined by control and narrow margins: four of their knockout wins finished 1-0. In the tournaments since, Spain reached the last 16 in 2018 and 2022 without going deeper, losing on penalties at both. Reaching the semi-finals in 2026 returns them to the stage they last occupied the year they became world champions.

France beat Morocco 2-0 to reach the last four; Spain followed hours later, setting a Tuesday semi-final between the 2010 and 2018 world champions in Arlington.

Deep dive into this story →

Spain's win over Belgium confirmed a World Cup semi-final against France, set for Tuesday 14 July at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. France reached the last four by beating Morocco 2-0 on 9 July.

Spain, the 2010 champions, face France, the 2018 winners and 2022 runners-up, with a place in Sunday's 19 July final at stake. 

Sources:ESPN
1 ESPN2 Sporza3 Sporza4 Goal.com

AI-assisted, human-edited under the editorial responsibility of Bannermedia Ltd. Reviewed by Ed Woodcock on 11 July 2026. Editorial standards.

Different Perspectives
Spain
Spain
Mikel Merino's 88th-minute winner off the bench sent Spain past Belgium and into a first World Cup semi-final since their 2010 title. They now face France on Tuesday having won both knockout matches late rather than in control.
Belgium (Rudi Garcia)
Belgium (Rudi Garcia)
Head coach Rudi Garcia framed the 2-1 quarter-final exit as attrition rather than tactical failure, citing the loss of captain and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to a thigh injury and an enforced Kevin De Bruyne substitution as decisive in Spain's late breakthrough.
France
France
France beat Morocco 2-0 to confirm the semi-final against Spain, arriving unbeaten in this cycle's knockout rounds. Kylian Mbappe downplayed an ankle knock picked up in that win: "I have a minor ankle injury, but I'm completely fine."