Spain is preparing to face France in the World Cup semi-finals on Tuesday after securing a narrow 2-1 victory over Belgium in the quarter-final match held at Los Angeles Stadium on Friday. The Spanish team advanced thanks to a late goal from substitute Mikel Merino in the 88th minute, marking their second consecutive match decided by a late strike.
Belgium, which had entered the quarter-finals boasting a squad often referred to as a "Golden Generation," saw their tournament come to an end despite a strong showing. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who was sidelined with an injury during the latter part of the game, reflected on the legacy of the current Belgian team, praising their achievements and expressing optimism for the future. “We are very proud of everything we did until now. We are a small country that in big tournaments is showing amazing things,” he said, adding that emerging young talent will strengthen Belgium in the coming years.
Looking ahead to the semi-final against France, Spanish youngster Lamine Yamal exuded confidence, suggesting that France should be wary of Spain. Yamal, who was named man of the match against Belgium, pointed to Spain’s recent successes against France in major tournaments, including the 2024 European Championship semi-finals and last year’s Nations League semi-finals. “I believe if France has to fear anyone, it should be us, in my opinion,” said Yamal. “We don’t fear anyone... They are one of the best. We’ll see what happens.”
Spain’s head coach Luis de la Fuente has consistently praised France throughout the tournament and especially since the knockout stages began. While acknowledging the strength of the French team, de la Fuente emphasized his team’s ambition and readiness to compete. “Let me be clear: We are not finished,” he said. “We are pleased to be in the semi-finals but we want more. We are capable of winning this game, and not just now, but I would have said this a few weeks ago as well.”
France has been prolific in the tournament, scoring 16 goals so far, and remains one of the favorites to reach the final. Spain, by contrast, conceded only one goal throughout the entire World Cup before their quarter-final match. Yamal highlighted Spain’s distinctive style of play as a key factor in their success, noting that opponents often play defensively against them, which underscores the challenge of facing Spain. “Everybody drops back and that makes it more difficult. Nobody has gone toe-to-toe with us but, in the end, we secured the win,” he added.
The clash between Spain and France at the Dallas Cowboys’ home stadium is highly anticipated as both teams vie for a place in the World Cup final later this month.