2026 World Cup: Roja and Reds to colour Los Angeles
Everything can wait! Spain and Belgium will meet in the second Quarterfinal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set for the Los Angeles Stadium on Friday evening.
La Roja overcame a major hurdle in the previous round, edging past Iberian rivals Portugal, and they face another stiff challenge in the shape of the Red Devils, who ended the dreams of co-hosts USA.
Here’s the breakdown as Spain and Belgium head to the ‘City of Angels’.
Head-to-head
- Matches played 23
- Spain wins 12
- Belgium wins 6
- Draws 5
- Spain goals 50
- Belgium goals 27
Spain and Belgium have met in 23 previous matches, with La Roja claiming 12 wins compared to six for the Red Devils, while five games have been drawn.
The teams have met twice in World Cup history: in the 1986 quarterfinals, Belgium won 5-6 on penalties after a 1-1 result, while a 1990 group stage clash saw Spain triumph 2-1.
Players to watch
- Spain – Mikel Oyarzabal
Tournament stats
- - Appearances: 5
- - Goals: 4
- - Assists: 1
- - Yellow/red cards: 0/0
Mikel Oyarzabal was not considered among Spain’s most prominent and dangerous players prior to the World Cup, but a return of four goals and one assist from five appearances has marked him out as one to watch for this quarterfinal.
- Belgium – Charles De Ketelaere
Tournament stats
- - Appearances: 4
- - Goals: 2
- - Assists: 1
- - Yellow/red cards: 0/0
Romelu Lukaku is Belgium’s all-time top scorer, but he is being kept on the bench by Charles De Ketelaere, whose selfless play was rewarded with two well-taken goals against the United States in the round of 16 – form he will look to continue against Spain.
Key stats
- - 0 – Spain have yet to concede a single goal at the 2026 World Cup.
- - 10.5 – Belgium have an xG (expected goals) of 10.5 at the tournament – a number bettered only by Brazil and France.
- - 598 – Spain have averaged 598 accurate passes per match, second only to Argentina (629).
- - 6 – Belgium have averaged 6 accurate crosses per match – a number bettered only by Canada (7.4) and Uruguay (7).
Tactical battle
Luis de la Fuente’s Spain will impose a 4-3-3 built on control, high pressing and positional rotations, with Rodri anchoring and wide threats like Lamine Yamal stretching play. Their defensive solidity (five straight clean sheets at the tournament) allows aggressive territorial dominance.
Rudi Garcia’s Belgium are more flexible, alternating between 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-2-1, seeking vertical transitions through Leandro Trossard and Charles De Ketelaere.
The key battle is Spain’s structured possession versus Belgium’s transitional efficiency: if Spain break Belgium’s shape, they control the game; if Belgium exploit spaces in transition, they can punish Spain’s high line.