Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
Spain vs France World Cup semifinal preparations began with Luis de la Fuente backing his players after Spain beat Belgium 2-1 in Friday’s quarterfinal at Los Angeles Stadium. Spain will face Didier Deschamps’ France in Dallas on Tuesday for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Fabián Ruiz and Mikel Merino scored as Spain’s midfield options decided a tight match. Mikel Merino struck after coming off the bench, repeating his winning contribution against Portugal.
The victory followed a painful night for Belgium, which also lost its goalkeeper, as detailed in our report on the Thibaut Courtois injury and Belgium’s World Cup exit.
Supporters can follow the knockout schedule through FIFA’s official World Cup fixtures page.
“France has exceptional potential, and so do we,” Luis de la Fuente said. “We have very high expectations for the next game.”
Spain controlled long spells through Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, who completed 98 of 104 passes. Belgium improved after halftime by pulling him away from central areas, while Lamine Yamal found space without consistently producing the final ball.
Luis de la Fuente’s decision to start Fabián Ruiz ahead of Pedro González López was rewarded with the midfielder’s first World Cup goal. Mikel Merino’s winner also showed the strength of Spain’s bench against a France side that outplayed Morocco in its quarterfinal.
Spain also carry belief from their 2-1 semifinal win over France at UEFA Euro 2024. Luis de la Fuente remains unbeaten in 13 matches across the World Cup and European Championship, but another disciplined display will be needed in Dallas.
