Pau Cubarsí has shown remarkable talent alongside Aymeric Laporte, making a significant impact during the tournament.
“Cubarsí in particular has been superb. For all the talk of Lamine Yamal, the kid who eclipses all else, it is the other teenager at the other end that has most impressed. Born in tiny Estanyol, a village with a population of around 200, the son of a carpenter who ran a family business going back four generations, Cubarsí is the second youngest man ever to make his debut for Spain. Lamine Yamal is the first. The day Cubarsí made his Barcelona debut, he and Lamine Yamal were younger than Robert Lewandowski put together.
There was something about him that was different from the start. “When I watch him, my heart rate doesn’t change,” Barcelona’s then-coach Xavi Hernández said. De la Fuente had given him his Spain debut and although he decided not to take him to the Euros, judging it a little soon, that calmness is clear here. “It doesn’t seem like he’s 19, the way he takes on responsibility is enviable,” Simón says. Cubarsí has completed 96% of his 449 passes, and not just sideways: 34 of his 71 against Portugal went into the opposition’s half. There were 19 recoveries, 23 defensive actions completed. Only Paolo Maldini reached as many clean sheets so fast.
Remarkably, Spain has reached this stage of the World Cup without conceding a single goal.
According to Sid Lowe from Los Angeles, Unai Simón has faced fierce competition to maintain his position as the starting goalkeeper.
“Not so long ago, Simón admitted that he had once wondered whether it was all worth it. Playing in goal, he says, can be a bit “Sod it, I’ll say it: we have the best goalkeepers at the World Cup,”. The front pages are for others. The good ones are, anyway: the “I hope the Belgians have been practicing their Trumpian tiny-fist dance since that USA game. It was the only disappointing aspect of an otherwise convincing performance. As for the Spanish, a red muleta celebration would be a fun provocation to the bull currently threatening to end all trade with them. He still might find himself handing them a big chuck of gold in nine days time” was his. All year, he has been at the centre of the debate. How could he not be when Athletic Club were struggling and those competing with him are David Raya, the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, and Joan García, the best in La Liga? “Good morning it’s 1:25 and I’m desperately trying to stay awake for the match. Shades of Qatar where the old sleep schedule went down the pan. I for one am hoping for a Belgium win. I have not enjoyed any of the Spain matches (apart from Cape Verde, snigger). I’m Costa Rican so I have no skin in the game as they say but I do have Norway in the sweepstakes. Thanks as always for the the great commentary and for so far keeping me awake!”ll say it: we have the best goalkeepers at the World Cup,’ Simón insisted a few days ago.
For Luis de la Fuente, however, there was never any doubt, regardless of the surrounding chatter. He had coached Simón throughout the youth ranks, achieving numerous victories: the under-19 and under-21 Euros, Olympic silver, the Nations League, and Euro 2024. They were practically family, and now Spain feels rejuvenated, with Simón making history as no other nation has progressed to the sixth game of a men’s World Cup without conceding.
“this assessment differs from that of the Red Devils’ medical staff” the Belgian FA stated regarding Zeno Debast’s fitness, as Belgium prepares for this crucial match against Spain.
Spain has made one adjustment to the lineup that defeated Portugal, bringing in Fabián Ruiz for Pedri in the midfield. Belgium welcomes back Kevin De Bruyne to the starting eleven after he was sidelined during the USA match, replacing Amadou Onana, who suffered an ACL injury. Jérémy Doku also returns to the starting lineup in place of Dodi Lukébakio.
Spain’s lineup (4-2-3-1) features: Simón; Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal. Their substitutes include: Raya, J García, Pubill, Grimaldo, E García, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Muñoz, Iglesias, Pedri.
Belgium’s lineup (4-2-3-1) includes: Courtois; Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele, De Cuyper; Tielemans, Raskin; Trossard, De Bruyne, Doku; De Ketelaere. Their substitutes are: Lammens, Penders, Theate, Witsel, Lukaku, Lukébakio, Meunier, De Winter, Seys, Moreira, Vanaken, Saelemaekers, Fernandez-Pardo.
The match will be officiated by referee Michael Oliver from England.
As the match approaches, fans are sharing their anticipation.
“The better the quality of the opponent, the more clinical you have to be,”
wrote Justin Kavanagh.
“Good morning it’s 1:25 and I’m desperately trying to stay awake for the match. Shades of Qatar where the old sleep schedule went down the pan. I for one am hoping for a Belgium win. I have not enjoyed any of the Spain matches (apart from Cape Verde, snigger). I’m Costa Rican so I have no skin in the game as they say but I do have Norway in the sweepstakes. Thanks as always for the great commentary and for so far keeping me awake!”
added Alexandra Fullerton.
Spain and Belgium are meeting for the first time in a decade, which is notable given the existence of the Nations League. Their last encounter was in a friendly match in September 2016, where Julen Lopetegui and Roberto Martínez managed their respective teams for the first time. Belgium faced criticism from fans in Brussels as David Silva’s brace led Spain to a 2-0 victory.
The most recent major tournament meeting between these two teams was at Italia ’90, where Alberto Górriz scored the decisive goal in Verona, allowing Spain to advance as group winners. Their only previous World Cup clash occurred four years prior, where Belgium triumphed on penalties after a 1-1 tie in Puebla.
Belgium’s preparations have also been clouded by a disagreement with Sporting regarding the fitness of Zeno Debast. After initially missing the start of the tournament, he was finally on the bench against the USA. His club asserts he is unfit to play, contrary to the Belgian FA’s assessment. As a result, it appears Belgium has acquiesced to Sporting’s demands and he will not participate in this quarter-final.
As noted earlier, the winners of this match will face a formidable France team, who recently dispatched Morocco with ease in Boston.
Jonathan Wilson reported from the scene:
“How can you stop France? You can defend with great organisation and concentration, block and tackle and harry and work, your keeper can make two or three excellent saves, and then one of their forwards conjures a goal like that.”
Raphaël Jucobin also shared his insights:
“In his pre-match press conference, Deschamps conceded that his team could still improve in front of goal. ‘The better the quality of the opponent, the more clinical you have to be,’ he underlined. As Les Bleus prepare to leave the east coast for the first time since their arrival in the US for their semi-final in Dallas, there is a sense that they will be leaving the comfort zone they have established both on and off the pitch.”
Welcome to the second quarter-final of the 2026 World Cup. Belgium, amid the twilight of their golden generation, must confront the relentless force of Spain, who have yet to concede a goal after five matches and haven’t progressed this far in the World Cup since their triumphant run in 2010.
While the experience of Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne, and Romelu Lukaku is unquestionable—having overcome Brazil in their previous quarter-final—Lamine Yamal’s true emergence on this stage remains to be seen. The Barcelona winger, who celebrates his 19th birthday on Monday, has recorded one goal without assists thus far and stands out as a world-class talent still awaiting his moment to shine. Could today be his day?
The winner of this match will advance to face France in the semi-finals next Tuesday in Dallas.
The kick-off in Los Angeles is scheduled for midday local time, 8 PM BST, and 5 AM AEST. Fans are encouraged to reach out via email as the excitement builds. Let’s go!
