Belgium’s World Cup journey ends in quarter-final loss to Spain
11.07.2026
Belgium’s World Cup Exit
Belgium exited the World Cup after a quarter-final defeat to Spain, marking the end of the tournament for a generation of their players. The match saw a determined effort from Rudi Garcia‘s squad, who had navigated a challenging group stage.
The team faced significant challenges before and during the match. Amadou Onana was ruled out due to a torn knee ligament sustained in the last-16 victory against the USA. There was also uncertainty surrounding Zeno Debast‘s fitness, leading to his omission from the squad.
Just before kick-off, Youri Tielemans, who had been a key performer throughout the tournament, suffered an injury during the warm-up and was replaced in the starting lineup by Hans Vanaken. Tielemans had started every match prior to this.
Match Highlights and Injuries
Jérémy Doku returned to the starting lineup and displayed a more dynamic performance than in previous group stage matches. He found space between Pedro Porro and Lamine Yamal, creating opportunities by cutting into channels and drawing Spain‘s midfield out of position.
Despite Doku’s efforts, Spain took the lead when Fábian Ruiz scored after Doku was unable to intercept Porro’s advance. Belgium, however, responded. Charles De Ketelaere, after training with Romelu Lukaku, demonstrated an improved approach. In the 39th minute, he was involved in a play near Spain‘s attacking third. Two minutes later, a pass from Kevin De Bruyne to Timothy Castagne led to a cross that De Ketelaere headed home for an equalizer, marking Belgium‘s first shot on target.
Belgium continued to create chances, with Doku’s dribbling opening up space for teammates like Maxim De Cuyper. A deflected attempt nearly resulted in a second goal, but De Cuyper was unable to convert.
The match saw a triple substitution by Garcia, including the introduction of Lukaku for Leandro Trossard, and Axel Witsel. This brought four veterans from the 2014 World Cup squad onto the pitch with half an hour remaining.
A critical moment occurred in the 71st minute when goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who had been vital throughout the game, was forced to leave the field due to a muscle injury. He had been seen massaging his left hip after a save and despite attempting to continue, he was visibly distraught as he was replaced by Senne Lammens. The score was 1-1 at the time of his exit.
Garcia later commented on Courtois’s performance throughout the tournament, noting his excellence and the difficult decision to substitute him to prevent further injury. Courtois ends this World Cup having appeared in 21 matches across his career, a notable achievement among goalkeepers in World Cup history.
The Decisive Goal
De Bruyne also appeared to struggle with his fitness, eventually receiving a yellow card and being substituted in the 80th minute to prevent further exploitation of his condition by Spain.
The decisive goal came in the 88th minute. A shot from outside the box was not secured by Lammens, and Mikel Merino capitalized on the loose ball, scoring to put Spain ahead 2-1. This goal secured Spain‘s place in the semi-finals, their first since 2010.
While Courtois might potentially feature in a future World Cup, this tournament is likely the last for several key members of Belgium‘s experienced squad. Despite the loss, the team’s performance against the European champions was a testament to their resolve.
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Source: theguardian.com
Ishaan Kapoor
Sports correspondent covering cricket, football and international competitions.