Spain and Belgium booked their places in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals after contrasting victories in the Round of 16 on Tuesday, July 7.
Spain needed a dramatic 90+1′ winner to eliminate neighboring rivals Portugal, while Belgium delivered an emphatic attacking performance to defeat tournament co-host USA 4-1. The two European nations will now meet in the quarterfinals on July 10, with a place in the semifinals on the line.
Meanwhile, attention now shifts to the final Round of 16 clash between Argentina and Egypt, where the winner will advance to face either Switzerland or Colombia in the next round.
Merino’s Last-Gasp Goal Breaks Portugal’s Hearts
Spain survived a tense and tactical battle against Portugal before finally finding the breakthrough in dramatic fashion.
For nearly the entire match, both teams struggled to create clear scoring opportunities as disciplined defending dominated the contest at Dallas Stadium. Portugal attempted to change the momentum in the second half by introducing Rafael Leão and Bernardo Silva, but Spain’s defensive organization remained solid.
The decisive moment arrived in the first minute of stoppage time.
Substitute Mikel Merino, who had only recently replaced Dani Olmo, finished a crucial chance in the 90+1st minute to give Spain a priceless 1-0 victory and send the 2010 world champions into the quarterfinals.
Tensions boiled over in the closing moments as Portugal’s Renato Veiga and Spain’s Ferran Torres were both shown yellow cards during the heated finale.
Belgium Overpower USA With Clinical Finishing
Belgium produced one of their strongest attacking displays of the tournament to comfortably defeat USA 4-1 at Seattle Stadium.
The Red Devils wasted little time applying pressure, forcing goalkeeper Matt Freese into a spectacular save within the opening minute.
Their persistence paid off in the ninth minute when Leandro Trossard delivered an inviting cross that Nicolas Raskin kept alive before Charles De Ketelaere tapped home the opening goal.
The United States briefly reignited hopes in the 31st minute through Malik Tillman, whose deflected free-kick found its way past Thibaut Courtois to level the score.
However, Belgium responded almost immediately.
Just 116 seconds later, Trossard once again provided the assist, floating another dangerous cross for De Ketelaere to head home his second goal of the evening.
Belgium tightened their grip before the hour mark when a costly defensive mistake allowed Hans Vanaken to score into an empty net for 3-1.
Substitute Romelu Lukaku completed the rout in 90+3 minutes, finishing an impressive solo run to seal a convincing 4-1 victory.
Spain and Belgium Set for Quarterfinal Showdown
With Tuesday’s victories, Spain and Belgium have officially secured a blockbuster quarterfinal meeting on July 10.
Spain arrive after surviving a fiercely contested Iberian derby, while Belgium enter the matchup full of confidence following their dominant display against the United States.
Argentina and Egypt Battle for Final Quarterfinal Spot
The final Round of 16 match will see Argentina take on Egypt for the last remaining place on this side of the knockout bracket.
The winner will advance to face either Switzerland or Colombia in the quarterfinals on July 12.
Argentina aim to reinforce their status as one of the tournament favorites, while Egypt hope to produce one of the biggest upsets of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
