At the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Spain edged Belgium 2-1 to advance to a World Cup semi-final against France, a match decided by an 88th-minute goal from substitute Mikel Merino. The midfielder pounced on a parried shot after Belgium’s replacement goalkeeper Senne Lammens – on for the injured Thibaut Courtois – failed to hold a low drive from Pau Cubarsí, reprising his role as a late hero following his round-of-16 winner against Portugal.

Spain had led after half an hour when Fabián Ruiz converted a rebound from a Courtois save, but Belgium levelled before half-time through Charles De Ketelaere’s header, the first goal Spain had conceded at the tournament. The contest shifted irrevocably in the 71st minute: Courtois, who had felt discomfort in his left thigh after a long clearance, was withdrawn by coach Rudi Garcia. Lammens, earning only his third senior cap, was beaten at the near post, and Merino, on the pitch barely two minutes, tucked away the loose ball.

Courtois later stated he believed he could have continued, explaining only his long kicking was affected. “I wanted to continue but the coach wanted someone 100% – it’s his decision, not a problem,” he said, while Garcia insisted he would only field fully fit players. The decision ignited furious debate in Belgium, where pundits branded it an “incredible error”, and across Europe. French outlets, eyeing the semi-final, noted that Courtois’s exit had “doomed” the Belgians; Spanish publications celebrated Merino’s uncanny timing.

Beyond the match, Courtois announced he would seek a year-long break from international football, skipping the Nations League and possibly returning only for Euro 2028 qualifying. “If the federation doesn’t agree, perhaps this was my last game,” the 34-year-old, with 115 caps, declared. Analysts in London and São Paulo interpreted the remarks as unsettling, undercutting Garcia and leaving Lammens exposed, though Courtois embraced his teammate and praised his personality.

Spain, now unbeaten in 36 matches, head to Dallas to face France, a team they defeated in both the Euro 2024 semi-final and the 2025 Nations League final. For Belgium, the defeat signals the likely end of a golden generation’s last stand, with the immediate future clouded by the uncertainty over their first-choice goalkeeper.