Spain advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, continuing a tournament run marked by defensive resilience and measured optimism. The Spanish national team will face Belgium with hopes of reaching the semi-finals for only the second time since 1950.
Historically, Spain’s World Cup performances have often fallen short of expectations, despite the nation’s success in European Championships and extended periods atop the FIFA world rankings. The pinnacle of their World Cup achievement came in 2010, when a possession-dominant squad, featuring key players from Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, claimed the title in South Africa. That team’s approach, known for its control and patient buildup, led to just eight goals scored and only two conceded in seven matches, setting a high standard for subsequent Spanish sides.
Since 2010, Spain has struggled to replicate that success, exiting in the group stage in 2014 and losing in the round of 16 on penalties in both 2018 and 2022. Across those three tournaments, the team posted just three wins in 12 matches. This year, however, Spain has shown signs of returning to form. Aside from a goalless draw in their opener against Cape Verde, a team that recently challenged Argentina, Spain has won each subsequent fixture. They scored four goals against Saudi Arabia, edged Uruguay 1-0, defeated Austria in the round of 32, and secured a late knockout victory over Portugal thanks to Mikel Merino’s injury-time goal on Monday.
Defensively, Spain’s current squad has been notably steadfast, having not conceded a goal in five World Cup matches so far. Including their 2022 campaign, during which they also kept four clean sheets before a penalty shootout loss to Morocco, Spain is the first nation to record six consecutive clean sheets at the World Cup. Goalkeeper Unai Simón has been a cornerstone of this defensive strength, remaining unbeaten for a record 609 minutes and helping the team extend a national record-tying 35-match unbeaten streak. Spain’s last defeat came in a friendly against Colombia in March 2024.
Coach Luis de la Fuente has welcomed comparisons to the 2010 team but remains focused on the present challenge. Speaking before the Belgium match, he emphasized controlling what is possible and concentrating solely on the immediate opponent. “If we overcome our match with Belgium,” de la Fuente said, “then we’ll start talking about France.”
Looking ahead, Spain’s potential semi-final opponent would likely be France, whom they have defeated recently in the Euro 2024 semi-final and the 2025 Nations League final four. Should Spain advance further, a final meeting with England, the runner-up in the Euro 2024 final, could be on the horizon. For now, the team's focus remains on overcoming Belgium and continuing a campaign that suggests Spain may be nearing a return to its former World Cup prominence.