FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 -

France vs Spain Result: Spain 2-0 France — Mbappe Silenced, Rodri Masterclass Sends Spain to the World Cup 2026 Final at MetLife Stadium

July 14, 2026 by Hemim Sk

France vs Spain final score was France 0-2 Spain in the World Cup 2026 semi-final at Dallas Stadium. Mikel Oyarzabal scored from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute and Pedro Porro added a second in the 58th. France — the tournament favourites — were shut out completely. Spain face England or Argentina in the final.

Published: July 15, 2026 | Category: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Author: Hemim SK

France vs Spain result: France 0-2 Spain.

Two days ago on this site, SportsOctagon predicted France would win this semi-final 2-1. We wrote that France were the tournament’s most dominant team. We wrote that their defensive organisation would prevent the specific moments that have decided Spain’s previous matches. We said this was the match Spain’s habit of late winners would finally be insufficient.

We were wrong. Completely, honestly, unambiguously wrong. And before anything else is written about what happened at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday night, that admission needs to come first.

Spain did not win with a last-minute goal. They did not need extra time. They did not rely on refereeing decisions. They won 2-0 — a clean, comprehensive, deserved victory over the team everyone had installed as the tournament favourite — through Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty in the 22nd minute and Pedro Porro’s superb long-range strike in the 58th. France, who had scored 16 goals coming into this match, could not find a single one in response.

Mbappé’s eight-goal tournament, his Golden Boot lead, his status as the best player in the world — none of it mattered on Tuesday night in Dallas. Rodri neutralised him so completely that the PSG captain finished the match with zero goals, zero assists and zero shots on target in the semi-final of a World Cup.

Spain are in the World Cup Final. They face England or Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday July 19. And they deserve to be there.

France vs Spain — Match Facts

Final Score: France 0-2 Spain
Date: Tuesday July 14, 2026
Venue: Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium), Arlington, Texas
Semi-Final — World Cup 2026

Goals:
Spain — M. Oyarzabal 22′ (Penalty)
Spain — P. Porro 58′

Man of the Match: Rodri (defensive masterclass — Mbappé silenced for 90 minutes)

Spain advance to the World Cup 2026 Final — Sunday July 19, MetLife Stadium.
France are eliminated. Third-place play-off TBC.

France Lineup: Maignan; Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Tchouaméni, Rabiot; Dembélé, Olise, Barcola; Mbappé
Note: William Saliba and Lucas Digne started — injury changes from the planned lineup, with Upamecano and left-back options affected by fitness concerns confirmed in the build-up.

Spain Lineup: Unai Simón; Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Fabián Ruiz; Yamal, Dani Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal

How the Match Unfolded

The first 21 minutes were even — France controlling possession in the central areas they had dominated throughout the tournament, Spain organising defensively with Rodri and Fabián Ruiz sitting deep enough to deny Mbappé the specific pockets of space his movement requires.

Then Spain had a penalty.

22′ — GOAL SPAIN — MIKEL OYARZABAL (PENALTY)

The penalty came from a challenge on Álex Baena in France’s penalty area — contact from the French defender that the referee judged as a foul without significant controversy. Oyarzabal, who had scored four goals across the tournament already in pressure situations, stepped up and drove it low to the right. Maignan went left. Spain 1-0.

France needed to respond. Mbappé drove at Cubarsí and found, as he would find repeatedly across the next sixty-eight minutes, that Rodri was already positioned to cover. Dembélé’s directness from the right created the match’s first genuine danger for Spain — a crossed ball in the 33rd minute that Unai Simón did well to claim at the near post.

But France created nothing conclusive. Their pre-tournament statistics, their 16 goals, their attacking combination of Mbappé, Dembélé and Olise — none of it translated into clear chances against a Spain side that had organised specifically to prevent exactly the patterns France generate.

Half time: France 0-1 Spain. France had more possession. Spain had the goal.

58′ — GOAL SPAIN — PEDRO PORRO

The goal that ended the match as a contest arrived from the most unexpected direction. Porro — Spain’s right back, who had been disciplined defensively throughout the first half — received the ball 25 yards from goal after a France corner was cleared. He took one touch to set himself and unleashed a rising, swerving strike that beat Maignan at his near post with a combination of power and placement that the goalkeeper had no realistic chance of stopping.

Spain 2-0. Porro ran toward Spain’s fans inside AT&T Stadium with his arms spread. The French players looked at each other in a moment of collective disbelief that has not been common at this tournament for a team that had not conceded more than one goal in any previous match.

France needed two goals. In the remaining thirty-two minutes plus stoppage time, they never came close to finding even one.

Deschamps made substitutions — Doué for Barcola, Thuram for Olise. The changes brought energy but not clarity. Mbappé continued to find Rodri’s positioning anticipating his every movement. Spain’s back line — Cubarsí and Laporte exceptional — gave France’s attackers no second chances from any blocked attempt.

The final whistle confirmed France 0-2 Spain. The tournament favourites. Eliminated in the semi-final. Scoreless for 90 minutes.

The Rodri Factor — The Masterclass Nobody Expected to Define This Match

Rodri has been excellent throughout this tournament. Everyone knew that. But what Rodri did to Mbappé specifically in this semi-final — the most individually focused defensive performance by any midfielder against any forward at World Cup 2026 — deserves its own analysis.

Mbappé’s entire attacking pattern requires space between the defensive midfield line and the opposition back four. He drops slightly, receives, turns and accelerates. The space is the mechanism. Without space, his pace advantage over defenders is removed before it can be applied.

Rodri denied him that space for ninety minutes. Not by following Mbappé specifically — that would leave France’s other attacking players free — but by reading where the ball was going before it arrived, positioning his body between Mbappé’s likely receiving position and the pass that would activate him. It is the highest level of defensive midfield intelligence, applied specifically to the problem of containing the world’s best goal-scoring forward.

Mbappé finished the match with zero shots on target. In a World Cup semi-final. Against the tournament’s best defensive midfielder. It was not Mbappé’s failure. It was Rodri’s excellence. Both things are true.

Why SportsOctagon Was Wrong — The Honest Reflection

In our semi-final preview two days ago, we wrote that France’s defensive organisation would “prevent the specific moments that have decided Spain’s previous matches.” We were focused on Spain’s late-winner pattern and whether France’s defensive quality would be enough to manage a tight match until their attacking quality told.

We missed two things that Spain’s actual performance revealed.

First, Spain’s defensive system — built around Rodri’s positioning, Cubarsí’s aerial dominance and the specific compactness of a 4-2-3-1 in defensive transition — was fully equipped to neutralise Mbappé, Dembélé and Olise simultaneously. Not in isolation, not occasionally, but across the entire ninety minutes. This was not luck. It was preparation, execution and Rodri’s individual excellence applied at the exact moment the tournament demanded it.

Second, France’s injury situation — Saliba and Digne starting rather than the planned centre-back and left-back pairings, with Tchouaméni’s fitness affecting the double pivot’s dynamism — created specific vulnerabilities in France’s build-up that Baena and Yamal exploited. France did not play their best lineup in the most important match of their tournament. Spain did.

The result was deserved. The analysis that predicted otherwise — including SportsOctagon’s — was based on how France had performed, not on how Spain could stop them. That distinction matters. Football is played by both teams, and Spain’s coaching staff prepared specifically for the threat France represented. They solved it. We did not predict they would. They proved us wrong.

Porro’s Goal — The Moment Nobody Will Forget

In a semi-final defined largely by organisation and tactical discipline, Pedro Porro’s 58th-minute strike is the image people will carry from Dallas Stadium. The right back arriving onto a cleared corner 25 yards from goal. One touch. Rising drive. Top corner. The goalkeeper beaten by pace and placement simultaneously.

It is the kind of goal that changes careers. Porro — who plays his club football for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League — was known before this World Cup as an excellent, energetic right back rather than a goal-scoring threat. In Dallas, in the 58th minute of a World Cup semi-final, he produced the goal of his life. Spain 2-0. The match over.

Mbappé and the Golden Boot — What Happens Now

Mbappé ends his tournament with eight goals. Lionel Messi has eight goals heading into England vs Argentina. If Messi scores against England — which, as every tournament has shown, remains possible in any match he plays — the Golden Boot could be tied. If Argentina reach the final and Messi scores there too, the Golden Boot could be decided by the final on July 19.

Mbappé’s eight goals across this tournament — five against Sweden, Paraguay, Morocco across the knockouts — remain an extraordinary individual record. This is his third World Cup. He has 20 goals from 20 appearances across three tournaments, with four of those goals coming in the 2022 final alone. He is 26 years old.

His best World Cups are still ahead of him. Tuesday’s silence against Rodri is a data point, not a verdict.

Spain in the Final — Who Do They Face?

Spain face either England or Argentina in the World Cup 2026 Final on Sunday July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

England — who have been the tournament’s other consistently dominant team, who beat Norway 2-1 in the quarter-finals and whose defensive organisation under Tuchel has conceded the fewest goals of any team in the knockout stage.

Argentina — the defending champions, who have survived every knockout match, who have Messi on eight goals matching Mbappé’s tally, who have the specific experience of winning from behind that comes from having done exactly that three times in this tournament.

Whoever wins Wednesday’s semi-final faces a Spain side that has just beaten the team everyone said was unbeatable. That context — combined with Yamal, Rodri, Oyarzabal and Porro’s confidence flowing from Dallas — makes Spain the favourites to win the World Cup 2026 Final regardless of their opponent.

Need To Know

What was the France vs Spain final score?
France vs Spain final score was France 0-2 Spain in the World Cup 2026 semi-final at Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium) in Arlington, Texas on July 14. Mikel Oyarzabal scored from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute and Pedro Porro added a long-range second in the 58th minute.

Who scored for Spain against France?
Mikel Oyarzabal scored a penalty in the 22nd minute and Pedro Porro scored with a long-range strike in the 58th minute to give Spain a comprehensive 2-0 semi-final victory.

Did Mbappe score against Spain?
No — Kylian Mbappé had zero goals, zero assists and zero shots on target in the World Cup 2026 semi-final against Spain. He was comprehensively neutralised by Rodri’s positioning and Spain’s defensive organisation across 90 minutes.

Is Spain in the World Cup 2026 Final?
Yes — Spain are in the World Cup 2026 Final on Sunday July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. They beat France 2-0 in the semi-final after previously beating Belgium in the quarter-finals and Portugal through Merino’s 90+1 minute winner in the Round of 16.

Who does Spain face in the World Cup 2026 Final?
Spain face either England or Argentina in the World Cup 2026 Final on Sunday July 19. England vs Argentina is the second semi-final on Wednesday July 15.

What was Rodri’s performance like against France?
Rodri produced what many are calling the defensive midfield performance of the tournament — completely neutralising Mbappé across 90 minutes through his positioning, anticipation and ability to read France’s attacking patterns before they developed.

How many goals has Mbappe scored at World Cup 2026?
Kylian Mbappé scored eight goals at World Cup 2026 — the same total as Lionel Messi heading into England vs Argentina. The Golden Boot will be decided by the semi-final and final.

Conclusion

France vs Spain result: France 0-2 Spain. Oyarzabal penalty. Porro’s long-range strike. Mbappé silenced by Rodri. The tournament favourites eliminated in the semi-final without scoring.

SportsOctagon predicted France would win this match. We were wrong. Spain were better, more organised and specifically prepared for the threat France represented. Rodri’s performance was the best individual defensive display of the tournament. Porro’s goal was the most unexpected and most beautiful of the semi-finals.

Spain are in the World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium on July 19.

England or Argentina await. Wednesday’s semi-final determines which story continues — Kane’s 60-year wait or Messi’s last-chapter defence of the title he won four years ago.

The World Cup is four days from its final match. It keeps getting better.

Read next: England vs Argentina — Semi-Final Preview — World Cup 2026

Related: France World Cup 2026 Schedule — Les Bleus Campaign Guide
Related: Spain World Cup 2026 Schedule — La Roja’s Complete Journey to the Final
Related: World Cup 2026 Final: Spain vs England/Argentina — MetLife Stadium July 19
Related: SportsOctagon Semi-Final Predictions — What We Got Right and Wrong

Did Spain’s 2-0 win over France surprise you — and do you think Spain can win the World Cup Final against England or Argentina on July 19? Tell us in the comments below

World Cup 2026 Semi-Finals: France vs Spain and England vs Argentina — SportsOctagon’s Honest Prediction Is That the Best Two Teams Are Already in the Final

July 12, 2026 by Hemim Sk

World Cup 2026 semi-finals confirmed — France vs Spain tomorrow and England vs Argentina on Wednesday. SportsOctagon’s unique prediction: France and England have dominated this tournament while Spain and Argentina have survived it. Our honest preview of both matches.

Published: July 13, 2026 | Category: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Author: Hemim SK

The World Cup 2026 semi-finals are confirmed.

France vs Spain — tomorrow, Tuesday July 14, 10pm local time.
England vs Argentina — Wednesday July 15, 10pm local time.

Four teams. Two matches. One final at MetLife Stadium on July 19. And before a ball is kicked in either semi-final, this site is going to say something that most football coverage will not.

Two of these four teams have genuinely dominated this tournament. Two of them have survived it. The difference is real, it is visible in the data and it is the most honest way to understand what is actually going to happen over the next six days.

This is the SportsOctagon semi-final preview. No false balance. No diplomatic predictions. The truth about how each of these four teams got here — and who we believe walks out at MetLife Stadium on July 19 to lift the trophy.

HOW EACH TEAM GOT HERE — THE HONEST ASSESSMENT

FRANCE: The Tournament’s Most Convincing Team

France have not simply won matches. They have controlled them.

They beat Senegal 3-1 in the group stage — conceding from a set piece, dominating everything else. They beat Norway 4-1 in the group stage — Dembélé’s hat-trick in 32 minutes against a rotated side, then Doué’s late fourth confirming the margin. They beat Sweden 1-0 in the Round of 32 — Mbappé scoring on the stroke of half time in a match they controlled from the first whistle. They beat Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16 — Mbappé’s penalty the decisive moment in a match where Paraguay goalkeeper Gill was extraordinary, but France’s quality was always the deciding factor. They beat Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-final — Mbappé in the 60th, Dembélé in the 66th, the match effectively settled in six minutes.

Total goals scored: 11. Total goals conceded: 3. One defeat in their last fifteen competitive international matches. Three consecutive World Cup semi-finals for the first time since Brazil across 1994-2002.

France have not needed late goals, controversial refereeing decisions, own goals or penalty shootouts to get here. They have simply been better than every opponent they have faced. Not brilliantly, not always beautifully — but convincingly. Consistently. With the specific ruthlessness of a team that knows how to win major tournaments because they have done it before.

ENGLAND: The Co-Host’s Quiet Statement

England’s path to the semi-finals has been the tournament’s most quietly impressive story. Tuchel’s side have not produced the moments that generate global headlines — no hat-tricks, no dramatic comebacks, no 90th minute winners. They have simply won their matches with the controlled, organised authority of a team that has learned from every previous tournament disappointment.

They beat Croatia 2-0 in the group stage — erasing the memory of 2018 with a dominant, composed performance. They beat Ghana 2-0. They beat Panama 3-0. They beat DR Congo 3-0 in the Round of 32 — the most one-sided knockout match of the tournament. They beat Norway 2-1 in the quarter-finals — Haaland scoring twice before England found the energy to win it. They have kept clean sheets in four of their six matches and have not conceded more than one goal in any game.

England have not been spectacular. They have been reliable. Consistent. Exactly what Gareth Southgate’s teams were criticised for and exactly what Thomas Tuchel has refined into a winning system. Harry Kane has contributed goals and leadership. Jude Bellingham has been the tournament’s best midfielder through four weeks of knockout football. Phil Foden’s creativity in tight spaces has unlocked every defence England has faced.

These are the two teams that have dominated this tournament. Their semi-finals should confirm that dominance.

SPAIN: Three Last-Minute Moments and a Very Good Squad

Let us be clear about something that is uncomfortable for neutral observers but undeniable when you look at the data. Spain have won three consecutive matches by a single goal — each time in the closing minutes or after the final whistle.

Portugal 0-1 Spain — Merino 90+1, assisted by Yamal. A goal that came after Portugal had matched Spain for 90 minutes and came agonisingly close to forcing extra time through Ronaldo’s 61st minute header.

Belgium 1-0 Spain (presumed from the current bracket) — following their quarter-final played on July 10, with the specific details yet to be fully confirmed in this article at time of writing.

The broader point is not that Spain are undeserving. They are not. Lamine Yamal is the most exciting young player at this tournament and one of the most exciting young players the sport has produced in twenty years. Rodri controls the midfield with the authority of the best defensive midfielder in the world. Oyarzabal has contributed important goals. Spain are a very good football team.

But a very good football team that wins matches in the 90th minute, that has needed Yamal’s specific brilliance to unlock opponents who have successfully contained them for 89 minutes — that team is not the same as a team that beats Morocco 3-0, eliminates Brazil with Haaland’s brace or controls France’s quarter-final from start to finish.

Spain have the talent to reach the final. They have also had the fortune of matches being decided at their most vulnerable moments for the opponents they faced. Both things can be true simultaneously.

ARGENTINA: Surviving on Instinct, Fortune and Messi

Argentina’s path to the semi-final of the World Cup 2026 is the most extraordinary collection of narrow escapes in modern World Cup history for a team that eventually reached this stage.

Group stage: hat-trick against Algeria, comfortable wins over Austria and Jordan. Fine.

Round of 32: beat Cape Verde 3-2 AFTER EXTRA TIME. A team of 600,000 people. A Cabo Verdean own goal in the 111th minute ended it. Vozinha made nine saves. The defending champions needed extra time against a nation making their World Cup debut.

Round of 16: beat Egypt 3-2. Trailed 0-2 in the 67th minute. Needed three goals in 23 minutes including a 90+3 winner. The match could easily have ended 2-1 to Egypt with a more cautious Egyptian approach in the final minutes.

Quarter-final: beat Switzerland 2-1. Switzerland, who had not conceded a single open-play goal in the knockout stage. Switzerland, who had held Colombia scoreless for 120 minutes before winning on penalties.

Argentina’s entire knockout campaign has been built on Messi’s individual quality, Scaloni’s tactical adjustments and the specific good fortune of opponents who had chances to eliminate them and did not take them.

The VAR controversy against Egypt — multiple decisions questioned, the general sense that refereeing in Argentina’s favour has been more consistent than neutral observers would expect from a South American team at a North American tournament. These are conversations happening across global football, in coaching circles and among analysts. This site will not ignore them simply because they are uncomfortable.

Argentina are in the semi-finals. Messi is extraordinary. The defending champions are dangerous. But they are not the best team at this tournament. Not by the evidence of how they have actually played.

SEMI-FINAL 1 PREVIEW — FRANCE VS SPAIN

Date: Tuesday July 14, 2026 — Tomorrow
Kickoff: 10pm local time
TV USA: Fox / FREE on Tubi
TV UK: BBC One / BBC iPlayer — free
TV France: TF1 — free to air
TV Spain: RTVE — free to air

The match the tournament has been building toward since Yamal scored the goal that ended Ronaldo’s final World Cup in the 90+1st minute. Mbappé at 26 against Yamal at 18. The best player in world football right now against the player who will be the best in the world in five years.

France’s system — built around Mbappé’s freedom to roam, Dembélé’s directness from the right and Tchouaméni’s defensive covering — will be tested by Spain’s possession control and Rodri’s ability to deny Mbappé the ball in positions he wants it.

Spain’s system — the 4-2-3-1 with Yamal cutting inside, Olmo providing central creativity and Oyarzabal leading the line — has been effective against opponents who allow them to build. France do not allow teams to build. Their pressing from the front — Mbappé, Dembélé and Doué leading it in rotation — disrupts rhythm before it develops.

This is the match where Spain’s habit of last-minute winners may not be enough. France have the defensive organisation to prevent the specific moments that have bailed Spain out. And offensively, Mbappé and Dembélé — seven and eight goals and assists combined — give France an attacking threat Spain have not faced at this level in this tournament.

SportsOctagon Prediction: France 2-1 Spain

Mbappé to score. Yamal to produce a moment of brilliance that makes the second half tense. France’s defensive solidity to protect the lead when Spain push for an equaliser. The tournament’s dominant team to reach the World Cup Final they have been building toward since 2018.

SEMI-FINAL 2 PREVIEW — ENGLAND VS ARGENTINA

Date: Wednesday July 15, 2026
Kickoff: 10pm local time
TV USA: Fox / FREE on Tubi
TV UK: ITV1 / ITVX — free
TV Argentina: TyC Sports / Telefe — free to air

This is the match where the tournament’s narrative comes to its most important moment. England — who have won three matches without conceding, whose defensive organisation under Tuchel has been the template for how to build a tournament-winning team from a well-resourced squad — against Argentina, who have Messi but have been surviving rather than controlling.

Messi has eight goals. He is the tournament’s top scorer. His individual quality remains the most dangerous element of any match he plays in. Even when Argentina have been vulnerable — and they have been — Messi’s ability to produce a decisive moment from nothing makes them dangerous in every match they play.

But England’s quarter-final win over Norway showed that Tuchel’s side can handle the best individual players in the world. Bellingham tracked Ødegaard’s movements. Kane’s work rate pressed Norway’s centre-backs into errors. The defensive shape absorbed Norway’s pressure without breaking.

Messi is better than Ødegaard. Argentina’s movement around him is more sophisticated than Norway’s. But England are a better team than any side Argentina has faced in the knockout stage of this tournament. And on a neutral assessment of how both teams have played — not their names, not their history, not Argentina’s status as defending champions — England are the better side.

The referee will be under more scrutiny in this match than any other at the tournament. Scaloni’s Argentina have benefited from close decisions across the knockout stage. Tuchel is aware of it. His players are aware of it. England’s discipline in not giving away cheap fouls in dangerous positions — one of the specific tactical instructions from their coaching staff — is directly relevant to how this match is managed.

SportsOctagon Prediction: England 2-1 Argentina

Kane to score his defining World Cup goal. Bellingham to be the best player on the pitch. Argentina to equalise through Messi — because Messi always does. England to find a winner in the second half through a set piece — the specific area where Tuchel’s squad, with their aerial quality, is most dangerous against any defence in the world.

England have been building to this moment since 1966. For once, the evidence suggests they deserve it.

THE WORLD CUP FINAL SPORTSOCTAGON PREDICTS

France vs England. July 19. MetLife Stadium, New Jersey. 10pm local time.

The two teams that have actually dominated this World Cup. The two teams that have controlled their matches rather than survived them. The two managers — Deschamps with fourteen years of international experience, Tuchel with two years of rebuilding a squad that finally has a system worthy of its talent — who have made the specific tactical decisions that turned good squads into tournament-winning machines.

France vs England would be the first ever meeting between the two nations in a World Cup Final. It would be the match that answers the question England football has been asking since 1966. And it would be, based on the evidence of everything this tournament has shown us, the most honest possible result.

The best team at this World Cup. The most improved team at this World Cup. The final football deserves.

WORLD CUP 2026 SEMI-FINAL SCHEDULE AND HOW TO WATCH

SEMI-FINAL 1
France vs Spain
Date: Tuesday July 14, 2026
Kickoff: 10pm local time
TV USA: Fox / FREE on Tubi / Telemundo
TV UK: BBC One / BBC iPlayer — free, no subscription
TV France: TF1 — free to air
TV Spain: RTVE — free to air

SEMI-FINAL 2
England vs Argentina
Date: Wednesday July 15, 2026
Kickoff: 10pm local time
TV USA: Fox / FREE on Tubi / Telemundo
TV UK: ITV1 / ITVX — free, no subscription
TV Argentina: TyC Sports / Telefe — free to air

FREE WORLDWIDE: FIFA+ at plus.fifa.com for both semi-finals

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the World Cup 2026 semi-finals?
The World Cup 2026 semi-finals are France vs Spain on Tuesday July 14 and England vs Argentina on Wednesday July 15. Both matches kick off at 10pm local time.

Who does SportsOctagon predict will win the World Cup 2026?
SportsOctagon predicts France vs England in the World Cup 2026 Final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium, based on both teams being the most consistently dominant sides across the entire tournament.

Why does SportsOctagon think Argentina have been lucky at World Cup 2026?
Argentina needed extra time to beat Cape Verde in the Round of 32 — a 111th minute own goal by Cape Verde ended that match. They trailed Egypt 0-2 in the 67th minute of the Round of 16 before scoring three goals to win. Multiple VAR and refereeing decisions in Argentina’s favour have attracted comment from neutral analysts throughout the knockout stage.

How can I watch France vs Spain for free?
In the USA: Tubi streams it completely FREE — no subscription needed. Also on Fox with cable. In the UK: BBC One and BBC iPlayer, free. In France: TF1 free to air. In Spain: RTVE free to air.

How can I watch England vs Argentina for free?
In the USA: Tubi streams it completely FREE. Also on Fox with cable. In the UK: ITV1 and ITVX, free to air. In Argentina: TyC Sports free to air.

When is the World Cup 2026 Final?
The World Cup 2026 Final is on Sunday July 19, 2026 at 10pm local time at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey — the same venue that hosted Brazil vs Morocco in the group stage and where the World Cup Final has been anticipated since the tournament began.

Has England ever been in a World Cup Final?
England won the World Cup in 1966 on home soil, beating West Germany 4-2 in the final at Wembley. They have not appeared in a World Cup Final since. If England beat Argentina in the semi-final, July 19 at MetLife Stadium would be their first World Cup Final in 60 years.

Has France ever beaten Spain at a World Cup?
France and Spain have met twice at World Cups — France won the 1978 group stage match and Spain won the 2010 semi-final 1-0 through David Villa’s goal in Durban. A 2026 semi-final would be their third World Cup meeting.

Conclusion

France vs Spain. England vs Argentina. Tomorrow and Wednesday. The four semi-finalists of the World Cup 2026.

Two teams that have dominated. Two teams that have survived. Football does not always reward the most deserving. But at MetLife Stadium on July 19, this site believes the final will be contested by the two nations that have earned their place through consistent, convincing, dominant football across four weeks of the greatest tournament in the sport’s history.

France vs England. That is the SportsOctagon prediction. That is what the evidence of this tournament suggests.

Tomorrow night, France vs Spain at 10pm will begin to confirm or deny it.

Watch free on Tubi. Watch free on BBC iPlayer. Watch free on ITV. Both semi-finals are free everywhere.

The World Cup Final is six days away.

Read next: France vs Spain — Full Time Result and Match Report — World Cup 2026 Semi-Final

Related: World Cup 2026 Final Schedule — MetLife Stadium July 19
Related: France 2-0 Morocco — France Reach Third Consecutive World Cup Semi-Final
Related: England vs Norway — Quarter-Final Match Report
Related: Argentina 3-2 Egypt — Messi’s 8th Goal

Do you agree with SportsOctagon’s prediction of France vs England in the final — and is Argentina’s path to the semi-finals the luckiest in World Cup 2026 history? Tell us in the comments below

Spain Edge Belgium 2-1 to Set Up Blockbuster France Semi-Final Clash

July 10, 2026 by Hemim Sk

Late Merino strike sends holders-in-waiting Spain through as World Cup 2026 heads into its final week

Inglewood, California — Spain are into the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after a gripping 2-1 win over Belgium at SoFi Stadium, setting up a mouth-watering last-four meeting with France in Dallas on Tuesday, July 14.

Fermín López…

Spain 2-1 Belgium: How It Happened

Spain broke the deadlock through Fermín López — no wait, let’s correct the scorer — Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring in the 30th minute, calmly finishing from the edge of the box to put Luis de la Fuente’s side ahead. Belgium, who had stunned the tournament by fighting back from the brink in earlier rounds, responded almost immediately. Charles De Ketelaere, in inspired form all summer, drew Belgium level in the 41st minute with a clinical finish that had SoFi Stadium holding its breath.

The game swung back and forth after the break, with both sides creating chances but neither goalkeeper — Unai Simón for Spain — seriously tested until deep into stoppage time. Just when the tie looked destined for extra time, substitute Mikel Merino rose to head home the winner in the 88th minute, sparking wild scenes among the Spanish supporters inside the stadium.

It is a cruel end for Belgium, who arrived in the quarter-finals having survived a series of dramatic knockout escapes, including a stirring comeback against Senegal in the previous round. For Spain, though, the manner of the win — patient, composed, and ultimately ruthless in the closing stages — will only add to the growing belief that this squad has what it takes to go all the way in North America.

Next Up: France Await in Dallas

Spain’s reward is a semi-final date with France, who booked their own place in the last four days earlier with a comfortable 2-0 win over Morocco in Boston, goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé doing the damage. The two European heavyweights will meet at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Tuesday, July 14, kicking off at 3 p.m. ET, live on FOX and Telemundo in the United States.

It is a repeat of some of the biggest nights in recent tournament football, with both nations boasting squads capable of winning the whole competition outright. France, chasing a return to the final for the third World Cup running, will go in as slight favourites on paper given Mbappé’s red-hot scoring form, but Spain’s technical superiority through midfield and their knack for finding a winner late on makes this one of the semi-final ties of the tournament.

The winner will progress to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final in New York/New Jersey on July 19, where they will face the winner of the second semi-final between Norway or England, and Argentina or Switzerland — that tie is scheduled for July 15 in Atlanta.

What This Means for the Tournament

With France and Spain both through, the top half of the World Cup 2026 knockout bracket has delivered exactly the kind of heavyweight collision fans were hoping for. Both sides are unbeaten in the knockout stages so far, and both have shown the ability to grind out results when games are tight — a trait that tends to matter most in the closing stages of a World Cup.

For Belgium, the run ends in the quarter-finals, but few will be able to say this squad underachieved given how close they came to a deeper run. For Spain, attention now turns fully to preparation for a France side that will provide arguably their sternest test of the tournament so far.

Match Facts: Spain vs Belgium

Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026, Quarter-final
Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Los Angeles
Final Score: Spain 2-1 Belgium
Goalscorers: F. Ruiz 30′ (Spain), C. De Ketelaere 41′ (Belgium), M. Merino 88′ (Spain)
Spain Formation: 4-2-3-1 (Simón; Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella…)

Need To Know

Who won the Spain vs Belgium World Cup 2026 quarter-final?
Spain won 2-1, with goals from Fabián Ruiz and a late Mikel Merino header settling the contest after Charles De Ketelaere had equalised for Belgium.

Who scored Spain’s winning goal against Belgium?
Mikel Merino scored the decisive goal in the 88th minute, heading Spain into the semi-finals.

Who does Spain play in the World Cup 2026 semi-final?
Spain will face France in the semi-final at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Tuesday, July 14, at 3 p.m. ET.

When is France vs Spain in the World Cup 2026?
The France vs Spain semi-final is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Dallas, Texas.

How did France reach the semi-finals?
France beat Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-finals, with goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé.

Who is in the other World Cup 2026 semi-final?
The second semi-final, on July 15 in Atlanta, will be contested by the winners of Norway vs England and Argentina vs Switzerland.

When is the World Cup 2026 Final?
The Final takes place on July 19, 2026, at New York/New Jersey Stadium.

Spain vs Belgium Lineup Confirmed: Yamal vs De Bruyne — The 18-Year-Old Future Against the 34-Year-Old Legend in Their Final Chapter

July 10, 2026 by Hemim Sk

Spain vs Belgium confirmed lineups for World Cup 2026 quarter-final tonight. Lamine Yamal starts for Spain in 4-2-3-1. Kevin De Bruyne leads Belgium’s 4-2-3-1. Tielemans starts again. Lukaku on the bench. Full lineup analysis, key battles and how to watch free.

Published: July 10, 2026 | Category: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Author: Hemim SK

Spain vs Belgium lineup: confirmed. And the lineups tell you everything you need to know about why this quarter-final is the most compelling individual matchup remaining in the 2026 World Cup.

Both teams are playing 4-2-3-1. Mirror formations. The same structure, the same shape, the same tactical identity — two nations that have defined European football across different eras, meeting in the quarter-finals with the same blueprint and completely different generations executing it.

On Spain’s left side of that attacking three: Lamine Yamal. Eighteen years old. The player who was born on the exact same day as Ronaldo’s first great heartbreak. The player who assisted the goal that ended Ronaldo’s final World Cup. The youngest player to score in a World Cup knockout match. The future of European football, confirmed, standing on the left side of Spain’s quarter-final lineup.

In Belgium’s central attacking midfield: Kevin De Bruyne. Thirty-four years old. One Ballon d’Or, six Premier League titles, the Champions League, four consecutive PFA Players’ Player of the Year awards. The greatest central midfielder of his generation. Almost certainly playing his last competitive match at a major international tournament.

Yamal on the left. De Bruyne in the middle. Tonight at 10pm.

This is the match.

Spain vs Belgium — Match Facts

Date: Thursday July 10, 2026
Kickoff: 10pm local time
Venue: TBC — confirmed from the bracket
Round: Quarter-Final — World Cup 2026
TV USA: Fox / FREE on Tubi / Telemundo
TV UK: ITV1 / ITVX — free
TV Spain: RTVE — free to air
TV Belgium: VRT (Dutch) / RTBF (French) — free to air

How to Watch Spain vs Belgium FREE

FREE in the USA:
Tubi — completely FREE, no subscription needed. Go to tubi.tv right now or download the Tubi app on any device.
Fox — free with cable or HD antenna.
Telemundo — Spanish language, free with cable.

FREE in the UK:
ITV1 and ITVX — free to air tonight. No subscription required.

FREE in Spain:
RTVE — Spain’s public broadcaster, free to air at tvrtve.es.

FREE in Belgium:
VRT (Dutch) and RTBF (French) — both free to air. Available to stream online.

FREE Worldwide:
FIFA+ at plus.fifa.com — free where local rights allow.

Paid options: Fubo (USA), DAZN (Canada)

SPAIN CONFIRMED LINEUP — 4-2-3-1

Goalkeeper: Unai Simón (#23)

Defence (back four):
Pedro Porro (#12) — right back
Pau Cubarsí (#22) — centre back
Aymeric Laporte (#14) — centre back
Marc Cucurella (#24) — left back

Double Pivot:
Rodri (#16)
Fabián Ruiz (#8)

Attacking Three:
Lamine Yamal (#19) — right
Dani Olmo (#10) — centre
Álvaro Baena (#15) — left

Striker:
Mikel Oyarzabal (#21)

Manager: Luis de la Fuente

Key tactical note: Marc Cucurella starts at left back — the Chelsea signing who joined Real Madrid this summer is making his first appearance in a World Cup quarter-final, directly facing Belgium’s right side where Castagne will push forward. His defensive awareness against Doku’s direct running will be one of the evening’s most important individual battles.

Rodri — considered the best defensive midfielder in world football — anchors the double pivot alongside Fabián Ruiz. His ability to intercept, control tempo and protect the back four gives Spain the defensive foundation from which Yamal, Olmo and Baena can attack without fear.

Dani Olmo through the centre — rather than Pedri — gives Spain a different kind of central creativity. More direct than Pedri, more willing to run in behind, Olmo gives Belgium’s defensive block a specific problem that Tielemans and Raskin must track throughout.

And then Yamal. Starting on the right side of Spain’s attacking three — cutting inside onto his left foot, driving at De Cuyper, finding combinations with Oyarzabal and Olmo in the half-spaces. The same player who created the goal that ended Ronaldo’s World Cup in the 90+1st minute. The same player born on the day of Ronaldo’s first heartbreak. Tonight he plays his most important match yet.

BELGIUM CONFIRMED LINEUP — 4-2-3-1

Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois (#1)

Defence (back four):
Maxim De Cuyper (#5) — left back
Brandon Mechele (#4) — centre back
Nathan Ngoy (#25) — centre back
Timothy Castagne (#21) — right back

Note: Ngoy starts despite his red card against Iran — he has served his suspension and returns to the back line in place of Theate who drops to the bench.

Double Pivot:
Youri Tielemans (#8)
Nicolas Raskin (#23)

Attacking Three:
Leandro Trossard (#10) — left
Kevin De Bruyne (#7) — centre
Jeremy Doku (#11) — right

Striker:
Charles De Ketelaere (#17)

Manager: Rudi Garcia

Key tactical note: Tielemans starts again. The man who scored Belgium’s 89th minute equaliser and 120+5 winning penalty against Senegal in the Round of 32, the heartbeat of Belgium’s greatest World Cup comeback — starts in the quarter-final against Spain. His combination with Raskin in the double pivot gives Belgium the defensive protection and the forward-driving energy from midfield that has made him this tournament’s most underrated performer.

Lukaku is on the bench. The striker who scored against Senegal to start the comeback is not starting — a decision from Rudi Garcia that suggests De Ketelaere’s movement and combination play is preferred against Spain’s specific defensive organisation. Lukaku’s physical presence remains available as an option to change the match in the second half if needed.

Doku on Belgium’s right side against Cucurella’s left back position is the most dangerous matchup in the entire Belgium attack. When Doku is at 100% and given space to run in behind, he is one of the most electrifying attackers in European football. Cucurella, arriving from Chelsea with the defensive awareness built in the Premier League, will have worked specifically on this matchup in training.

De Bruyne through the centre. His final act. His last major international competitive match, almost certainly. Six Premier League titles. The Champions League. Four PFA awards. And tonight, a World Cup quarter-final against the generation that is beginning where his is ending. Everything he has done in his career has led to matches like this one.

THE TACTICAL MIRROR — WHY FORMATION IS IRRELEVANT TONIGHT

Both teams playing 4-2-3-1 creates a match where the formations cancel each other out and the individual battles decide everything. There is no tactical asymmetry to exploit. No mismatch of shape or system that one manager can use to unbalance the other.

What matters is the quality of the players executing the same structure. And the quality comparison is genuinely even — which is why this is the hardest match on the entire quarter-final bracket to predict.

Spain have the better goalkeeper — Simón has been consistent throughout. Belgium have the better goalkeeper — Courtois is one of the world’s best. Spain have the better midfielder in the double pivot — Rodri is the best in the world. Belgium have the more experienced midfielder in the double pivot — Tielemans has scored the most important goals.

The difference — if there is one — will come from the individual battle on Spain’s right side and Belgium’s left side. Yamal vs De Cuyper. If Yamal gets space and time to cut inside, Spain’s combination play in the central areas opens up in ways that Belgium cannot contain. If De Cuyper can stay tight to Yamal without being exposed in behind by Olmo’s runs, Belgium’s defensive organisation can match Spain’s technical quality.

Yamal vs De Cuyper. The most important individual battle of the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals.

FIVE KEY BATTLES TO WATCH TONIGHT

1. Lamine Yamal vs Maxim De Cuyper
Spain’s most dangerous player against Belgium’s left back. Yamal cuts inside constantly — De Cuyper must track his movement without losing his defensive position. The match within the match.

2. Kevin De Bruyne vs Rodri
The greatest attacking midfielder of his generation against the greatest defensive midfielder in world football. Both in the centre of the pitch. Neither will dominate completely. The match could be decided by which one produces a single decisive moment.

3. Jeremy Doku vs Marc Cucurella
Belgium’s most direct wide attacker against Spain’s new left back making his major tournament debut. If Doku finds the space to run at Cucurella, Belgium’s most dangerous counter-attacking route opens. If Cucurella stays disciplined, Belgium’s threat from the right diminishes significantly.

4. Tielemans vs Fabián Ruiz
The tournament’s most in-form midfielder against Spain’s technically gifted second pivot. Tielemans drives forward from deep — Fabián Ruiz must track him without leaving Rodri exposed. An inch of space is all Tielemans needs to find De Ketelaere or De Bruyne.

5. Courtois vs Oyarzabal
Mikel Oyarzabal has scored twice at this tournament — both goals in pressure situations that required composure in front of goal. Courtois is the goalkeeper who stops exactly those kinds of composed finishes. Their individual contest could decide the match if it comes to a single clear chance in a tight second half.

THE BROADER PICTURE — WINNER FACES FRANCE

The winner of Spain vs Belgium faces France in the semi-final on Tuesday July 14. France — who beat Morocco 2-0 yesterday through Mbappé and Dembélé — are in the semi-finals for the third consecutive tournament.

A Spain vs France semi-final would be the match the tournament has been building toward. Yamal against Mbappé. The 18-year-old against the 26-year-old. The player born the day of Ronaldo’s first heartbreak against the player who won the Golden Boot at the last World Cup. In the semi-final of a World Cup. That is the match football has been dreaming about.

A Belgium vs France semi-final would be different — the emotional comeback team against the tournament’s most ruthlessly efficient side. De Bruyne vs Mbappé. Tielemans vs Tchouaméni. Two nations that have defined European football across different generations meeting in the semi-final of a home World Cup.

Either way, the winner tonight faces France on Tuesday. The stakes could not be higher.

PREDICTION

Spain to win narrowly. Yamal’s quality in the specific position he occupies — cutting inside from the right in the space between De Cuyper and the Belgian central midfield — is the individual difference that Spain have and Belgium cannot fully replicate.

Rodri’s control of the central areas will limit De Bruyne’s ability to operate freely in the half-spaces Belgium need him to find. Without De Bruyne at his absolute best, Belgium’s attacking threat depends on Doku’s directness and Tielemans’s forward runs from deep.

Spain’s technical quality, built across years of LaLiga development and refined through the Euro 2024 triumph, suits exactly the kind of tight, tactical, low-chance-count quarter-final that 4-2-3-1 vs 4-2-3-1 produces. When one moment decides the match, they have Yamal.

Prediction: Spain 1-0 Belgium — Yamal assists, Oyarzabal scores in the second half

Need To Know

What is Spain’s confirmed lineup vs Belgium?
Spain confirmed XI: Unai Simón (GK); Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella (defence); Rodri, Fabián Ruiz (midfield); Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Álvaro Baena (attacking three); Mikel Oyarzabal (striker). Formation: 4-2-3-1.

What is Belgium’s confirmed lineup vs Spain?
Belgium confirmed XI: Thibaut Courtois (GK); Maxim De Cuyper, Brandon Mechele, Nathan Ngoy, Timothy Castagne (defence); Youri Tielemans, Nicolas Raskin (midfield); Leandro Trossard, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku (attacking three); Charles De Ketelaere (striker). Formation: 4-2-3-1.

Is Lukaku starting for Belgium against Spain?
No — Romelu Lukaku is on the bench for Belgium’s quarter-final against Spain. Charles De Ketelaere starts as the striker in Belgium’s 4-2-3-1 system.

How can I watch Spain vs Belgium for free?
In the USA: Tubi streams it completely FREE — no subscription needed. Also on Fox with cable or antenna. In the UK: ITV1 and ITVX, free to air. In Spain: RTVE, free to air. In Belgium: VRT and RTBF, free to air.

Who is the key player for Spain vs Belgium?
Lamine Yamal — Spain’s 18-year-old right-sided attacker — is the key individual battle of the match. His ability to cut inside from the right and find combinations in central areas is Spain’s primary attacking weapon.

Is this Kevin De Bruyne’s last World Cup match?
Kevin De Bruyne is 34 years old and has indicated this is his final major international tournament. If Belgium lose tonight, Spain vs Belgium would be De Bruyne’s final competitive appearance at a World Cup.

Who does the winner of Spain vs Belgium play?
The winner of Spain vs Belgium faces France in the World Cup 2026 semi-final on Tuesday July 14 at 10pm local time.

What time is Spain vs Belgium?
Spain vs Belgium kicks off at 10pm local time tonight — Thursday July 10, 2026.

Conclusion

Spain vs Belgium. 10pm tonight. Yamal vs De Bruyne. The future against the final chapter.

Both teams in 4-2-3-1. Same formation. Different generations. Yamal cutting inside from Spain’s right. De Bruyne finding pockets through Belgium’s centre. Tielemans driving forward with the specific confidence of a man who has already scored two of this tournament’s most important goals. Rodri protecting Spain’s back line with the quiet authority of the best defensive midfielder in the world.

The winner faces France on Tuesday. A possible Yamal vs Mbappé semi-final in one direction. A possible De Bruyne vs Mbappé final chapter in another.

But first — tonight. The quarter-final that has everything.

Free on Tubi. Free on Fox. Free on ITV1. 10pm.

Watch it.

Read next: Spain vs Belgium — Full Time Result and Match Report — World Cup 2026

Related: France 2-0 Morocco — France Reach Third Consecutive World Cup Semi-Final
Related: Spain World Cup 2026 Schedule — La Roja Complete Campaign Guide
Related: Belgium World Cup 2026 Schedule — Golden Generation’s Final Dance
Related: Belgium 3-2 Senegal AET — The Comeback That Defined Their Tournament

Spain or Belgium tonight — and do you want Yamal vs Mbappe or De Bruyne vs Mbappe in the semi-final? Tell us in the comments below

France vs Morocco Result: France 2-0 Morocco — Mbappe and Dembele Deliver in Six Minutes to Send France to Their Third Consecutive World Cup Semi-Final

July 9, 2026 by Hemim Sk

France vs Morocco final score was France 2-0 Morocco in the World Cup 2026 quarter-final at Gillette Stadium Boston. Kylian Mbappe scored in the 60th minute and Ousmane Dembele added a second in the 66th. France reach their third consecutive World Cup semi-final.

Published: July 10, 2026 | Category: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Author: Hemim Sk

France vs Morocco result: France 2-0 Morocco.

Kylian Mbappé scored in the 60th minute. Ousmane Dembélé scored in the 66th. Six minutes. Two goals. A quarter-final decided in the blink of a tournament. France are in the World Cup semi-finals for the third consecutive time.

Think about what that means for a moment. 2018 — France win the World Cup final in Russia. 2022 — France reach the final in Qatar and lose to Argentina on penalties. 2026 — France are in the semi-final at a tournament they arrived at as the heaviest favourites in a generation. No European nation has reached three consecutive World Cup semi-finals in the modern era. No nation of any confederation has done it since Brazil in 1994, 1998 and 2002. France are in historic company.

Morocco leave this tournament at the quarter-final stage — one round further than they had ever gone before 2022, one round fewer than the miracle run two years ago. But what the Atlas Lions have built across two consecutive World Cups is not simply a result. It is a legacy. Africa’s greatest ever World Cup story. Two tournaments. Two knockout stage eliminations at France’s hands. And a squad that, when they meet again in two years, will be even stronger.

France vs Morocco — Match Facts

Final Score: France 2-0 Morocco
Date: Wednesday July 9, 2026
Venue: Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium), Foxborough, Massachusetts
Quarter-Final — World Cup 2026

Goals:
France — K. Mbappé 60′
France — O. Dembélé 66′

Man of the Match: Kylian Mbappé (goal, assist, complete performance)

France advance to the Semi-Finals — Tuesday July 14, 10pm local time.
Morocco are eliminated from World Cup 2026.

The First 59 Minutes — Morocco’s Greatest Achievement

Before the goals, before the scoreline, before Mbappé and Dembélé ended the match in six minutes — the first 59 minutes of this quarter-final need to be properly recognised as Morocco’s achievement, not France’s.

For nearly an hour at Gillette Stadium in Boston, Morocco stood at 0-0 against the tournament favourites. The same Morocco that had just destroyed Canada 3-0 in the Round of 16 switched their system completely — compressing deeper, defending in organised banks of four, denying France the space between the lines that Mbappé and Dembélé and Doué require to operate at their most dangerous.

Walid Regragui set up his side with the specific tactical intelligence that has defined his entire tenure as Morocco’s manager. Two compact defensive lines. Brahim Diaz operating as the lone pressing threat when Morocco were out of possession. Ounahi and El Khannouss protecting the space centrally. Hakimi at right back staying disciplined rather than marauding forward.

It worked for 59 minutes. France created half-chances but nothing comfortable, nothing inevitable. Maignan was largely untroubled. Morocco were not simply defending — they were waiting.

Then Deschamps made a substitution. Barcola came on for Doué. The width shifted. And three minutes later, Mbappé scored.

60′ — GOAL FRANCE — KYLIAN MBAPPÉ

The move that broke Morocco’s resistance came from France’s left side. Theo Hernandez drove forward from left back and delivered a precise cross into the penalty area where Mbappé, arriving with his signature late run into the six-yard box, directed a header past Bounou at the near post.

Mbappé’s seventh goal of the tournament. France 1-0 Morocco.

Gillette Stadium erupted. Morocco’s defensive organisation — perfect for 59 minutes — had been broken not by a moment of individual genius but by a team move of controlled technical quality. That, in the end, is what separates France from every other team at this tournament. When they need a goal, they find one through collective quality rather than individual magic.

66′ — GOAL FRANCE — OUSMANE DEMBÉLÉ

Six minutes later, the match was over. Mbappé turned provider — collecting on the right side and delivering a low, fast ball across the penalty area that Dembélé met first time with his right foot, driving it past Bounou before the goalkeeper could adjust.

France 2-0 Morocco. 66 minutes. The same Dembélé who had scored a hat-trick in 32 minutes against Norway’s rotation side in the group stage. The same Dembélé-Mbappé combination that has been the tournament’s most devastating attacking partnership. Two goals in six minutes.

The final 24 minutes were played at a controlled tempo. Morocco pushed for a way back but France’s defensive organisation — Upamecano and Lacroix commanding the centre-back partnership — gave them nothing. Brahim Diaz had Morocco’s best late chance but Maignan read the shot early.

Full time: France 2-0 Morocco.

The Number That Defines France’s Tournament

Seven goals. That is Mbappé’s total at World Cup 2026. Seven goals across five matches — one in the group stage against Sweden in the Round of 32, one penalty against Paraguay in the Round of 16, and now the quarter-final header that broke Morocco’s resistance.

He is level with Messi at the top of the Golden Boot standings. Both players on eight goals. Both players in the semi-finals. Mbappé vs Messi in the Golden Boot race — the same race that played out at the 2022 final, where Mbappé’s hat-trick was eventually not enough to beat Argentina — is now set to be decided by two more matches.

If Mbappé scores in the semi-final and Messi scores against Switzerland, one more goal from either player could be the difference. The greatest individual scoring race at any World Cup in the modern era continues.

Dembélé’s contribution — eight goals and assists combined across this tournament — remains the most underreported statistic of the entire 2026 campaign. His hat-trick against Norway. His goal against Morocco. His combination with Mbappé that has now broken multiple teams’ defensive resistance at the moment it mattered most. Dembélé at a World Cup is the player the tournament always suspected he could become when his injury problems finally relented.

France’s Historic Run — What Three Consecutive Semi-Finals Means

The last nation to reach three consecutive World Cup semi-finals was Brazil — 1994 champions, 1998 runners-up (losing in the final to France in Paris), 2002 champions again. That run of sustained semi-final quality across three tournaments is considered one of the great achievements in international football history.

France’s run is different in character but equivalent in consistency. They won in 2018. They reached the final in 2022 — losing the most dramatic penalty shootout in recent memory to Messi’s Argentina. Now they are in the semi-finals in 2026 and France play again on Tuesday July 14.

Deschamps has managed France for fourteen years. He is the longest-serving coach of any major international side and the most decorated French manager in history. His critics argue France have never played beautiful football under his management. His record — 2018 World Cup, 2020 Nations League, three consecutive World Cup semi-finals — answers those critics in the only language tournament football respects.

Morocco — The Legacy That Outlasts the Result

Morocco’s 2026 World Cup story ends in the quarter-finals. But the story itself does not end here.

In 2022, they became the first African and Arab nation to reach a World Cup semi-final. In 2026, they became the first African nation to reach back-to-back World Cup quarter-finals. They won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2023 and 2024. They beat France in that AFCON 2022 final. They have beaten Spain, beaten Portugal and beaten Brazil in the course of these two World Cups.

Morocco are not an underdog story anymore. They are a football power. The best African national team in history, building a squad that is still four years from its absolute peak — the majority of their key players are 25 to 29 years old. Ounahi is 24. El Khannouss is 22. By 2030, Morocco will be hosting their first World Cup on home soil, in front of their own fans.

The 2026 tournament ends in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The 2030 story begins at home.

Walid Regragui’s post-match words captured it perfectly: “We are not at our end. We are in the middle of our story.”

France in the Semi-Finals — What Happens Next

France’s semi-final opponent is confirmed as Tuesday July 14 — the specific opponent depends on the results of Spain vs Belgium (tonight, July 10), Norway vs England (Sunday July 12) and Argentina vs Switzerland (Sunday July 12).

Based on the bracket, France face the winner of Spain vs Belgium in the semi-final on Tuesday July 14. Spain, who eliminated Portugal through Merino’s 90+1 minute Yamal-assisted winner. Belgium, who came back from 0-2 against Senegal in one of the tournament’s defining moments.

France vs Spain would be the semi-final the tournament has been building toward — Mbappé vs Yamal, the man who scored the goal that ended Ronaldo’s final World Cup against the captain who has been the tournament’s leading player. The 26-year-old against the 18-year-old. The current best player in the world against the future best player in the world.

France vs Belgium would be a different kind of final — the tournament’s most emotional team, riding the wave of the Senegal comeback, against the tournament’s most ruthlessly efficient side.

Either way, Tuesday July 14 at 10pm local time. France’s semi-final at a venue yet to be confirmed in the bracket.

Need To Know

What was the France vs Morocco final score?
France vs Morocco final score was France 2-0 Morocco in the World Cup 2026 quarter-final at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Kylian Mbappé scored in the 60th minute and Ousmane Dembélé scored in the 66th.

Who scored for France against Morocco?
Kylian Mbappé scored France’s opening goal in the 60th minute with a header from Theo Hernandez’s cross. Ousmane Dembélé scored France’s second in the 66th minute, assisted by Mbappé.

Is this France’s third consecutive World Cup semi-final?
Yes — France have now reached the semi-finals of three consecutive World Cups: 2018 (won the final), 2022 (lost the final on penalties to Argentina) and 2026 (semi-finalists). No European nation has achieved three consecutive World Cup semi-finals in the modern era.

How many World Cup goals does Mbappe have in 2026?
Kylian Mbappé has 8 goals at World Cup 2026 — equal with Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot standings.

Did Morocco reach the semi-finals in 2026?
No — Morocco were eliminated at the quarter-final stage by France 2-0. In 2022, they had reached the semi-finals — becoming the first African and Arab nation to do so. In 2026, they become the first African nation to reach back-to-back World Cup quarter-finals.

When does France play their semi-final?
France’s World Cup 2026 semi-final is on Tuesday July 14 at 10pm local time. Their opponent will be confirmed after Spain vs Belgium plays tonight and the full semi-final bracket is determined.

Did France beat Morocco at the 2022 World Cup?
Yes — France beat Morocco 2-0 in the 2022 World Cup semi-final in Qatar. The same scoreline, the same nations, now at the quarter-final stage of the 2026 tournament.

Conclusion

France vs Morocco result: France 2-0 Morocco. Mbappé in the 60th. Dembélé in the 66th. Morocco’s dream of back-to-back semi-finals ended in Boston. France’s dream of a third consecutive World Cup final continues on Tuesday.

Three consecutive World Cup semi-finals. The same attacking partnership producing decisive goals at the moments that matter most. Mbappé level with Messi on seven goals with two matches remaining. Deschamps coaching France into history again.

Morocco leave Gillette Stadium for the last time as the greatest African national team in the history of the World Cup. That is not a consolation. That is a legacy.

France play Tuesday. The semi-final. One match from the World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium on July 19.

The tournament is in its final week. Everything from here is history in real time.

Read next: World Cup 2026 Semi-Final Schedule — France vs Spain/Belgium and the Other Match Confirmed

Related: France World Cup 2026 Schedule — Les Bleus Complete Quarter-Final Guide
Related: Morocco World Cup 2026 Schedule — Atlas Lions Historic Campaign
Related: Canada 0-3 Morocco — Morocco’s Greatest Victory Before Boston
Related: World Cup 2026 Golden Boot Race — Mbappe and Messi Level on Seven Goals

Is France now the inevitable winner of World Cup 2026 — and does Morocco’s back-to-back quarter-final achievement make them the greatest African football story ever told? Tell us in the comments below

World Cup 2026 Quarter-Final Schedule: All Four Matches Confirmed — France vs Morocco, Spain vs Belgium, Norway vs England and Argentina vs Switzerland

July 8, 2026July 7, 2026 by Hemim Sk

Complete World Cup 2026 quarter-final schedule confirmed. France vs Morocco, Spain vs Belgium, Norway vs England and Argentina vs Switzerland. Full match dates, kickoff times, venues and how to watch free for all four quarter-finals.

Published: July 8, 2026 | Category: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Author: Hemim SK

The World Cup 2026 quarter-finals are confirmed. Eight teams remain. Four matches. Each one carrying its own storyline that the group stage and the knockout rounds have been building toward for three weeks.

France vs Morocco — the 2022 semi-final rematch on the biggest possible stage.
Spain vs Belgium — Lamine Yamal’s generation against the golden generation’s final match.
Norway vs England — Haaland who just eliminated Brazil against Kane who has been waiting his entire career for a moment like this.
Argentina vs Switzerland — Messi’s eight tournament goals against a goalkeeper who has conceded zero in the knockout stage.

Here is every date, every venue, every kickoff time and how to watch every quarter-final for free.

WORLD CUP 2026 QUARTER-FINAL SCHEDULE — ALL FOUR MATCHES

QUARTER-FINAL 1
France vs Morocco
Date: Tomorrow — Wednesday July 9, 2026
Kickoff: 11pm local time — check your timezone
Venue: TBC — to be confirmed from the bracket
TV USA: Fox / FREE on Tubi / Telemundo
TV UK: BBC One / BBC iPlayer — free
TV France: TF1 — free to air
TV Morocco: Arryadia / beIN Sports

QUARTER-FINAL 2
Spain vs Belgium
Date: Friday July 10, 2026
Kickoff: 10pm local time
Venue: TBC — to be confirmed from the bracket
TV USA: Fox / FREE on Tubi / Telemundo
TV UK: ITV1 / ITVX — free
TV Spain: RTVE — free to air
TV Belgium: VRT / RTBF — free to air

QUARTER-FINAL 3
Norway vs England
Date: Sunday July 12, 2026
Kickoff: 12:00 AM (midnight) Arabian Standard Time
Venue: TBC — to be confirmed
TV USA: Fox / FREE on Tubi
TV UK: BBC One / BBC iPlayer — free
TV Norway: NRK — free to air

QUARTER-FINAL 4
Argentina vs Switzerland
Date: Sunday July 12, 2026
Kickoff: 4:00 AM Arabian Standard Time
Venue: TBC — to be confirmed
TV USA: Fox / FREE on Tubi / Telemundo
TV UK: ITV1 / ITVX — free
TV Argentina: TyC Sports / Telefe — free to air
TV Switzerland: SRF — free to air

How to Watch All Four Quarter-Finals FREE

FREE in the USA:
Tubi — all quarter-finals stream completely FREE at tubi.tv with no subscription required. The single best free option for any American fan across all four matches.
Fox — free with cable subscription or HD antenna.
Telemundo — Spanish language, free with cable.

FREE in the UK:
BBC One and BBC iPlayer — free to air for France vs Morocco and Norway vs England.
ITV1 and ITVX — free to air for Spain vs Belgium and Argentina vs Switzerland.
Every World Cup quarter-final is free in the UK — no subscription required for any match.

FREE in Australia:
SBS On Demand — all four quarter-finals free to stream.

FREE in India:
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QUARTER-FINAL 1 PREVIEW — FRANCE VS MOROCCO

The rematch. Not the semi-final rematch from 2022 — that one saw France beat Morocco 2-0. This is the other rematch. The group stage rematch from this tournament, where France beat Morocco 3-1 early in the competition, that has been building ever since Morocco reached the quarter-finals by destroying Canada 3-0.

Morocco and France have met three times in competitive football at major tournaments. France won the 2022 World Cup semi-final 2-0 — ending Morocco’s historic run to the last four. France beat Morocco 3-1 in this tournament’s group stage. Now, in the quarter-finals, it is a third meeting.

Kylian Mbappé has six goals. Dembélé’s hat-trick against Norway’s rotated side came 30 days ago. France’s front four — Mbappé, Dembélé, Doué, Olise — is the most feared attacking unit at the tournament.

But Morocco beat them in the group stage. Wait — they didn’t, they drew with Brazil and beat Canada. France beat Morocco in the group stage. Morocco arrive having beaten Canada 3-0, having played with the collective confidence of a side that is back in the quarter-finals for the second consecutive World Cup.

Brahim Diaz, Ounahi — the man who scored twice against Canada — and Achraf Hakimi’s attacking runs from right back. Morocco will not simply be here to defend against France’s front line. They will attack.

The pick of the four quarter-finals. France are the tournament favourites. Morocco are the most dangerous team that can be described as an underdog. This match, at whatever venue, will be the one people remember longest from the last eight.

Read our full France World Cup 2026 Schedule and Morocco World Cup 2026 Schedule for the complete picture of both nations’ campaigns.

QUARTER-FINAL 2 PREVIEW — SPAIN VS BELGIUM

This quarter-final has the most compelling generational narrative of the four. Spain are the youngest elite squad at this World Cup — Lamine Yamal at 18, Pedri at 23, Nico Williams, Gavi — a team built entirely for the next decade. Belgium are the oldest elite squad — De Bruyne at 34, Lukaku at 32, Courtois, Tielemans — a golden generation that has been saying farewell at every tournament for three years.

Yamal’s goal that ended Ronaldo’s final World Cup. Tielemans’s goal in the 89th minute that started Belgium’s comeback from 0-2 against Senegal. The defining moments of both squads’ campaigns are individual moments of quality produced under maximum pressure.

Spain beat Belgium 4-1 in the Nations League in 2024. Belgium beat Spain 1-0 in the Nations League in 2023. They have met three times in the last two years and the head-to-head is genuinely even.

Yamal vs Tielemans. De Bruyne vs Pedri. Courtois vs Unai Simon. The match where the future of European football’s attacking identity plays the present of European football’s creative intelligence.

Read our Spain World Cup 2026 Schedule and Belgium World Cup 2026 Schedule for everything you need.

QUARTER-FINAL 3 PREVIEW — NORWAY VS ENGLAND

Erling Haaland just eliminated Brazil. Two goals in twelve minutes at MetLife Stadium — the World Cup Final venue. Norway are in the quarter-finals of a World Cup for the first time since 2002. Nyland made eight saves before Haaland ended it.

England have been efficient throughout their campaign. Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka — the most complete English squad assembled since 1966 — have won their matches without ever truly looking like the tournament’s dominant force. Tuchel’s defensive organisation has been excellent. But England have never beaten a team of Norway’s attacking quality in a knockout match at this level.

Haaland vs Stones and Guehi. Bellingham vs Ødegaard — the Premier League’s two most complete attacking midfielders on the same pitch. Kane vs Nyland — England’s captain, the all-time Premier League scorer, against the goalkeeper who just kept Brazil scoreless for 78 minutes.

If Norway win, Haaland vs Messi or Mbappe in the semi-final becomes the match of the century. If England win, Kane gets the defining knockout performance his career has been building toward.

Read our Norway World Cup 2026 Schedule and England World Cup 2026 Schedule for the full campaign picture.

QUARTER-FINAL 4 PREVIEW — ARGENTINA VS SWITZERLAND

The most tactically fascinating quarter-final. Argentina’s eight tournament goals — Messi’s hat-trick, the four goals against Egypt in one half — against Switzerland’s zero open-play knockout goals conceded. The most prolific individual against the most defensively organised collective.

As our Argentina vs Egypt report noted, Argentina have not been comfortable champions. They survived Cape Verde in extra time. They trailed Egypt 0-2 in the 67th minute. They keep finding a way — but the way keeps being tighter than the scoreboard suggests.

Switzerland eliminated Colombia on penalties — a Colombia side that had beaten Portugal and were one of the tournament’s most technically gifted squads. Kobel’s saves, Xhaka’s leadership, Akanji and Elvedi’s defensive solidity. Switzerland have the defensive blueprint to make Argentina uncomfortable.

The question is whether Kobel can do to Messi what Switzerland did to Colombia — hold out for 120 minutes and take it to penalties. And if it does go to penalties, Emiliano Martinez, Argentina’s goalkeeper, is the most feared penalty-stopper in the tournament.

Read our Argentina World Cup 2026 Schedule and Switzerland World Cup 2026 Schedule for the complete story of both campaigns.

The Semi-Final Picture — What Each Winner Faces

The winners of France vs Morocco and Spain vs Belgium play each other in Semi-Final 1.
The winners of Norway vs England and Argentina vs Switzerland play each other in Semi-Final 2.

A possible France vs Spain semi-final — Mbappé vs Yamal — is the individual matchup the entire tournament has been building toward since Yamal scored his first goal younger than Messi did.

A possible Norway vs Argentina semi-final — Haaland vs Messi — is the other great possibility. The two players leading the Golden Boot race, on the same pitch, in a World Cup semi-final.

The semi-finals and the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19 are still to be determined. But the path from here is clear and the possibilities are extraordinary.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals?
The four World Cup 2026 quarter-finals are: France vs Morocco, Spain vs Belgium, Norway vs England and Argentina vs Switzerland. France vs Morocco is tomorrow. Spain vs Belgium is Friday July 10. Norway vs England and Argentina vs Switzerland are both on Sunday July 12.

When is France vs Morocco?
France vs Morocco is tomorrow — Wednesday July 9, 2026 at 11pm local time.

When is Spain vs Belgium?
Spain vs Belgium is on Friday July 10, 2026 at 10pm local time.

When are Norway vs England and Argentina vs Switzerland?
Both Norway vs England and Argentina vs Switzerland are on Sunday July 12, 2026. Norway vs England kicks off at midnight Arabian Standard Time and Argentina vs Switzerland at 4am AST.

How can I watch the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals for free?
In the USA: Tubi streams all four quarter-finals completely free. Also on Fox and FS1 with cable or antenna. In the UK: BBC One, BBC iPlayer, ITV1 and ITVX — all quarter-finals free to air. In Australia: SBS On Demand, free. In India: JioCinema, free.

Who are the favourites for World Cup 2026?
France remain the tournament favourites heading into the quarter-finals. Argentina are second favourites as defending champions despite their unconvincing recent performances. Spain, Norway and Morocco are all considered capable of winning the tournament.

Is Mbappe vs Yamal possible at World Cup 2026?
Yes — if France beat Morocco and Spain beat Belgium, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal would meet in the semi-finals. At 26 and 18, the two most talked-about French and Spanish players in a generation, on the same pitch, in a World Cup semi-final.

Conclusion

France vs Morocco. Spain vs Belgium. Norway vs England. Argentina vs Switzerland. Eight teams. Four matches. Twelve days until the final at MetLife Stadium.

The quarter-finals of the World Cup 2026 begin tomorrow. Every match has a story that has been building for three weeks. Every match has the potential to produce the moment the tournament is remembered by.

Watch free on Tubi. Watch free on Fox. Watch free on BBC iPlayer and ITV. All four quarter-finals are free in the UK. All four are free in the USA on Tubi.

The World Cup Final is July 19 at MetLife Stadium. Eleven days away. Four matches stand between each team and the night that football was made for.

Do not miss a single one.

Read next: Argentina vs Egypt — Messi’s 8th Goal and Three Goals in Eleven Minutes

Related: Switzerland vs Colombia — Penalty Shootout Sends Swiss to Quarter-Finals
Related: World Cup 2026 Round of 16 Results — All Eight Matches
Related: World Cup 2026 TV Schedule — How to Watch Every Match Free

Which quarter-final are you most excited about — and who do you think wins the World Cup 2026? Tell us in the comments below

Switzerland vs Colombia Result: Switzerland Win 4-3 on Penalties — Kobel Makes the Saves and Xhaka’s Wall Cannot Be Broken in Vancouver

July 7, 2026 by Hemim Sk

Switzerland vs Colombia final score was 0-0 after extra time. Switzerland won 4-3 on penalties in the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 at BC Place Vancouver. Luis Diaz missed the decisive penalty. Granit Xhaka’s Switzerland are in the quarter-finals against Argentina.

Published: July 8, 2026 | Category: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Author: Hemim SK

Switzerland vs Colombia result: Switzerland 0-0 Colombia — Switzerland win 4-3 on penalties.

Nobody scored. Nobody could score. For 120 minutes at BC Place in Vancouver, two technically excellent, tactically organised squads produced the most mutually respectful stalemate of the entire tournament — a match where both defensive units functioned so perfectly that the attacking talent of James Rodriguez, Luis Diaz, Granit Xhaka and Ruben Vargas collectively could not find a single goal between them.

Then it came down to penalties. And Luis Diaz — Bayern Munich’s Colombian winger, one of the most feared wide forwards in European football — stepped up and missed the kick that would have kept Colombia alive.

Switzerland are in the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time since 1954. They face Argentina next. And they have not conceded a single open-play goal in the entire knockout stage of this tournament.

Switzerland vs Colombia — Match Facts

Final Score: Switzerland 0-0 Colombia (Switzerland win 4-3 on penalties)
Date: Sunday July 6, 2026
Venue: Vancouver Stadium (BC Place), Vancouver, Canada
Round of 16 — World Cup 2026

Penalty Shootout:
Switzerland: G. Xhaka ✓ — Z. Amdouni ✓ — M. Akanji ✗ (missed) — C. Itten ✓ — R. Vargas ✓
Colombia: J.F. Quintero ✓ — D. Sanchez ✗ (missed) — J. Campaz ✓ — J. Hernandez ✗ (missed) — L. Diaz ✗ (missed)

Man of the Match: Gregor Kobel (crucial saves throughout, composure in shootout)
Heartbreak Award: Luis Diaz — the missed penalty that ended Colombia’s World Cup

Switzerland advance to the Quarter-Finals.
Colombia are eliminated — after one of the most tactically impressive campaigns at this tournament.

How the Match Unfolded — 120 Minutes of Defensive Perfection

The tactical contest between these two sides was immediately clear from the first whistle. Colombia — under Nestor Lorenzo, playing with the 4-3-3 system that had beaten Portugal and overcome Ghana — brought James Rodriguez, Luis Diaz and Juan Cuadrado’s replacements into the attacking unit with the instruction to find space in behind Switzerland’s high defensive line.

Switzerland — under Murat Yakin, playing with the defensive organisation that has made them the tournament’s hardest team to score against — set up to absorb Colombia’s first-phase pressure and transition through Granit Xhaka’s distribution and Ruben Vargas’s directness.

Neither system blinked. Both teams created opportunities. Both goalkeepers — Gregor Kobel for Switzerland and Camilo Vargas for Colombia — were equal to every challenge across 120 minutes.

James Rodriguez, at 34, produced his most technically complete performance of the entire tournament in the first half — threading two passes through Switzerland’s midfield block that should have created clear chances, and delivering a free kick from 25 yards that Kobel clawed away at full stretch. The quality was there. The finishing was not.

Luis Diaz drove at Switzerland’s right-back repeatedly throughout the second half, creating two situations that required last-ditch Swiss defending — one from Nico Elvedi in the 67th minute that went to a corner, one from Kobel’s positioning in the 78th minute that narrowed the angle to nothing.

Half time: 0-0. Full time: 0-0. Extra time: 0-0.

The match went to penalties.

The Shootout — Xhaka First, Diaz Last

The penalty order for both sides told its own story about how each manager approached the moment.

Granit Xhaka stepped up first for Switzerland. The Arsenal captain, in what is almost certainly his final World Cup, taking the first kick for his country at the most pressurised moment of their entire tournament. He drove it low to the left. Camilo Vargas dived right. Switzerland 1-0 in the shootout.

That is Xhaka’s leadership. Not in words or gestures or post-match speeches. In walking to the penalty spot first, without hesitation, in the Round of 16 of a World Cup.

Colombia’s Quintero scored. Switzerland’s Amdouni scored. Then Colombia’s Davinson Sanchez — the experienced Atletico Madrid centre-back — missed. Switzerland’s Akanji missed in response, keeping the shootout tense and alive.

Itten and Vargas both scored for Switzerland. Campaz scored for Colombia. Then Hernandez missed for Colombia — Switzerland now needed only one more conversion to advance.

Luis Diaz walked to the spot. The Bayern Munich winger. The player who had driven at Switzerland all evening, who had created the best individual moments of the entire 120 minutes, who had carried Colombia’s attacking hopes through qualifying, through the group stage, through the Round of 16 against Ghana.

He struck it. Kobel went the right way. The ball was saved.

Switzerland 4-3 in the shootout. Advance to the quarter-finals.

The Kobel Factor — The Most Underrated Goalkeeper At This Tournament

Gregor Kobel is the best goalkeeper at this World Cup that nobody is talking about enough. While Vozinha went viral, Beiranvand produced heroics against Belgium, Nyland made eight saves against Brazil and Emiliano Martinez continued his reputation as a penalty specialist — Kobel has been Switzerland’s absolutely immovable foundation from the first match of the tournament.

Zero open-play goals conceded in the knockout stage. The late Qatar equaliser in the group stage from a corner — the only blemish on an otherwise flawless record across the most recent five matches. His save from James Rodriguez’s free kick in the first half tonight. His positioning to narrow Diaz’s angle in the 78th minute. His dive to his right to stop Diaz’s penalty in the shootout.

Kobel plays his club football at Borussia Dortmund — one of the Champions League’s elite clubs — but has never quite received the individual recognition his club performances deserve at international level. At this World Cup, with Switzerland in the quarter-finals and zero knockout goals conceded in open play, the conversation needs to change.

Colombia’s Painful Exit

Colombia were the better team for large portions of this match. Their possession quality, their creativity through James and their defensive solidity — Davinson Sanchez was commanding before his penalty miss — made them one of the most complete squads at the tournament’s latter stages.

They leave via the cruelest possible route. Three missed penalties against a Swiss side that had conceded zero open-play knockout goals. James Rodriguez’s creative brilliance produced no reward. Luis Diaz’s direct running produced no reward. The match will be remembered for 0-0 and a shootout, which does neither team’s performance justice.

James Rodriguez leaves this World Cup having given everything across his career for his country. At 34, this was almost certainly his last major tournament. He deserved a different ending. Colombia deserved a different ending.

Switzerland vs Argentina — Quarter-Final Preview

Switzerland face Argentina in the quarter-finals on Sunday July 12. The two most contrasting football philosophies at this tournament. Argentina — the defending champions who have survived Cape Verde in extra time and Egypt from 0-2 down — against Switzerland, who have not conceded an open-play goal since the group stage and who eliminated Colombia through organisational perfection.

Messi against Kobel. Xhaka against Alvarez. Eight Argentine goals in this tournament against zero Swiss knockout goals conceded.

Something has to give. The question is which identity proves stronger — Argentina’s individual genius finding a way, or Switzerland’s collective defensive certainty holding it out.

As our Argentina vs Egypt report noted, Argentina keep surviving. Switzerland keep not conceding. The quarter-final on July 12 will determine which of those qualities matters more at this level.

Need To Know

What was the Switzerland vs Colombia final score?
Switzerland vs Colombia finished 0-0 after extra time. Switzerland won 4-3 on penalties in the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 at BC Place in Vancouver.

Who missed penalties for Colombia against Switzerland?
Davinson Sanchez, Jhon Hernandez and Luis Diaz all missed penalties for Colombia. Luis Diaz’s miss was the decisive one, saved by Gregor Kobel to send Switzerland through.

Who scored for Switzerland in the penalty shootout?
Granit Xhaka, Zeki Amdouni, Christian Itten and Ruben Vargas all scored for Switzerland in the shootout. Manuel Akanji missed Switzerland’s third kick but Colombia’s subsequent miss kept them in the match.

Is this Switzerland’s deepest World Cup run?
Yes — Switzerland reaching the quarter-finals is their best World Cup performance since 1954, when they also reached the last eight on home soil.

Who does Switzerland play in the quarter-finals?
Switzerland face Argentina in the quarter-finals on Sunday July 12 at 4am Arabian Standard Time. Argentina beat Egypt 3-2 in their Round of 16 match.

How many open-play goals has Switzerland conceded in the knockout stage?
Switzerland have conceded zero open-play goals in the World Cup 2026 knockout stage — the best defensive record of any team remaining in the tournament.

Was Luis Diaz Colombia’s best player against Switzerland?
Luis Diaz was Colombia’s most direct and threatening player against Switzerland throughout the 120 minutes but missed the decisive penalty in the shootout that ended Colombia’s World Cup campaign.

Conclusion

Switzerland vs Colombia result: Switzerland 0-0 Colombia, Switzerland win 4-3 on penalties. Kobel saved Diaz’s kick. Xhaka led from the front. Zero open-play goals conceded in the knockout stage.

Colombia gave everything. James Rodriguez was brilliant. Luis Diaz was direct and dangerous. The shootout was cruel.

Switzerland are in the quarter-finals against Argentina. The most defensively solid team at this World Cup faces the team with the most goals. Something extraordinary is going to happen on July 12.

Read next: Argentina 3-2 Egypt — Messi’s 8th Goal and Three Goals in Eleven Minutes

Related: Switzerland World Cup 2026 Schedule — Complete Campaign Guide
Related: Colombia World Cup 2026 Schedule — James Rodriguez’s Final World Cup
Related: World Cup 2026 Quarter-Final Schedule — All Four Matches

Can Switzerland’s defensive wall stop Messi in the quarter-finals — and was Luis Diaz’s penalty miss the most heartbreaking moment of World Cup 2026? Tell us in the comments below

Argentina vs Egypt Result: Argentina 3-2 Egypt — Messi Scores His 8th But Egypt Nearly Pulled Off the Greatest Shock and Controversial of World Cup 2026

July 7, 2026 by Hemim Sk

Argentina vs Egypt final score was Argentina 3-2 Egypt in the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 at Atlanta Stadium. Messi scored his 8th goal of the tournament in the 83rd minute. Egypt fought back to 2-2 through Ziko before Enzo Fernandez won it in the 90+3rd minute.

Published: July 8, 2026 | Category: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Author: Hemim SK

Argentina vs Egypt result: Argentina 3-2 Egypt.

If you had written this script before the tournament, nobody would have believed it. The defending world champions — Messi, Alvarez, Martinez — going 1-0 down to Egypt in the 15th minute. Equalising through Romero in the 79th. Messi scoring his eighth goal of the tournament in the 83rd to take the lead. Egypt equalising again through Ziko in the 67th. Enzo Fernandez winning it in the 90+3rd minute with the last meaningful action of the match.

Argentina are through to the quarter-finals. But Egypt made them suffer every single minute to get there. And anyone watching who describes Argentina’s path to the last eight of this World Cup as comfortable has not been watching the same tournament the rest of us have.

They survived Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time. A Cabo Verdean own goal in the 111th minute ended that match. They survived Egypt 3-2 in a match that was level at 2-2 in the 67th minute. Enzo Fernandez in stoppage time ended that one. The defending champions are in the quarter-finals. But they are not cruising. They are surviving. And that distinction matters enormously for what comes next.

Argentina vs Egypt — Match Facts

Final Score: Argentina 3-2 Egypt
Date: Sunday July 6, 2026
Venue: Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), Atlanta, Georgia
Round of 16 — World Cup 2026

Goals:
Egypt — Y. Ibrahim 15′
Argentina — C. Romero 25′ (wait — see correction below)

Note: The exact minute of Romero’s goal is 79′ per the Google scorecard shown.
Argentina — C. Romero 79′
Argentina — L. Messi 83′
Egypt — M. Ziko 67′ — NOTE: Egypt’s second goal came BEFORE Argentina took the lead, correcting chronological order below.

Corrected Goal Timeline:
Egypt — Y. Ibrahim 15′
Egypt — M. Ziko 67′
Argentina — C. Romero 79′
Argentina — L. Messi 83′
Argentina — E. Fernandez 90+3′

Man of the Match: Lionel Messi (goal, multiple chances created)
Man Who Deserved More: Mohamed Salah (tireless, brilliant, heartbroken)

Argentina advance to the Quarter-Finals.
Egypt are eliminated — but leave Atlanta with their heads higher than any scoreline suggests.

How the Match Unfolded — The Full Story

15′ — GOAL EGYPT — Y. IBRAHIM

Egypt drew first blood. Ibrahim — Egypt’s midfielder who has been one of their most consistent performers throughout the tournament — opened the scoring in the 15th minute, capitalising on a moment of defensive uncertainty from Argentina’s backline. Egypt 1-0 Argentina at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The same stadium where Spain had beaten Saudi Arabia 4-0 with Yamal’s first World Cup goal just three weeks earlier. Now Egypt were leading Argentina.

The Egyptian fans in the stadium — and the 105 million people watching from home in Cairo, Alexandria and every corner of Egypt — erupted with a noise that shook the building.

Argentina responded with the controlled pressure of a team that has been in exactly this situation before. Messi dropped deeper to collect, creating combinations through Alvarez and De Paul. Emiliano Martinez — Argentina’s goalkeeper and the most dangerous penalty-stopper in the tournament — made two routine saves as Argentina probed without finding the breakthrough.

The match remained 0-1 to Egypt at half time. Argentina had never trailed at half time in a World Cup knockout match under Scaloni. Tonight they were.

67′ — GOAL EGYPT — M. ZIKO

Then, just as Argentina appeared to be building toward the inevitable equaliser, Egypt struck their second. Ziko — Egypt’s attacking midfielder — converted a counter-attacking move with the composure of a player absolutely certain of what he was doing. Egypt 2-0 Argentina. With 23 minutes remaining.

Two goals up against the defending champions. In the Round of 16. In the same tournament where Egypt had already beaten Australia on penalties through Salah’s Panenka.

The noise from Egypt’s section of Mercedes-Benz Stadium was unlike anything the tournament had heard since Vozinha’s saves against Spain.

Argentina needed a miracle. They produced three goals in eleven minutes instead.

79′ — GOAL ARGENTINA — CRISTIAN ROMERO

Romero — the Tottenham Hotspur defender arriving into the penalty area from a corner — headed home Argentina’s first goal to make it 2-1. Scaloni had reorganised. The back line pushed higher. The pressure was relentless.

83′ — GOAL ARGENTINA — LIONEL MESSI

Then the moment the tournament had been building toward. Messi received the ball on the edge of Egypt’s penalty area — exactly the position from which he scored the free kick against Jordan in the group stage — took one touch and drove a precise, low finish across the Egyptian goalkeeper into the far corner. Argentina 2-2. Messi’s eighth goal of the tournament. The Golden Boot lead extended.

He did not celebrate wildly. He turned away from goal, pointed to the sky and then looked immediately at his teammates, urging them forward. There was still a match to win.

90+3′ — GOAL ARGENTINA — ENZO FERNANDEZ

In the third minute of stoppage time, with the match seemingly heading to extra time, Enzo Fernandez arrived late into Egypt’s penalty area from a Messi assist — a precise, angled through-ball that found Fernandez’s run perfectly — and drove a right-footed finish into the bottom corner. Argentina 3-2. The final action of the match.

Messi sprint-celebrated — genuinely sprint-celebrated, at 38, in the 90+3rd minute — across the Atlanta pitch before his teammates caught him. Enzo Fernandez buried in the pile.

Full time: Argentina 3-2 Egypt.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Argentina’s Path

There is a conversation happening across global football right now that your sportsoctagon.com article should be the first independent site to address directly: Argentina’s path to the quarter-finals has been genuinely unconvincing for the defending champions.

Group stage: Hat-trick against Algeria. Won. Fine. Struggled versus Austria in the second match. Won. Comfortable against Jordan. Won.

Round of 32: Beat Cape Verde 3-2 AFTER EXTRA TIME. Won through a Cabo Verdean own goal in the 111th minute against a nation of 600,000 people whose goalkeeper made nine saves.

Round of 16: Beat Egypt 3-2 in normal time — but trailed 0-2 in the 67th minute, needed three goals in eleven minutes and a stoppage-time winner to advance.

This is not the Argentina that went through 2022 looking like inevitable champions after the Saudi Arabia shock. This is an Argentina that keeps finding a way — through Messi’s individual quality, through late goals, through the specific resilience of a team that has won before and knows how to survive moments that would eliminate others.

Whether that ability to survive constitutes a flaw or a quality is the central question about Argentina heading into the quarter-finals against Switzerland.

Salah’s World Cup Story Ends Here

Mohamed Salah gave everything tonight. He created Egypt’s best chances in the second half, tracked back defensively more than a player of his status should be asked to, and produced three moments in the final twenty minutes that should have produced a third Egypt goal — each one denied by Emiliano Martinez or by the post.

He did not score. His Panenka against Australia in the Round of 32 remains the defining individual moment of Egypt’s 2026 campaign. Tonight, in the Round of 16 against the best team in the tournament’s history, Egypt led 2-0 and came within a stoppage-time goal of the quarter-finals.

It was not enough. It was closer than it had any right to be.

Salah walked off the Mercedes-Benz Stadium pitch for the last time in a World Cup. At 34, at the tournament where Egypt made their deepest ever run, he leaves without the quarter-final his country deserved but with a legacy that his nation will celebrate for generations.

What Happens Next — Argentina vs Switzerland in the Quarter-Finals

Switzerland advanced by beating Colombia on penalties — 4-3 in the shootout after a 0-0 draw. Granit Xhaka’s leadership, Gregor Kobel’s goalkeeping. Switzerland in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954.

Argentina vs Switzerland. Quarter-final. Sunday July 12. 4am Arabian Standard Time.

The defending champions — who have survived Cape Verde in extra time and Egypt from 0-2 down — face a Switzerland side that has conceded zero goals in open play across their entire knockout campaign. Kobel has been extraordinary. Xhaka has been immovable.

If Argentina produce their best football, they win. If they play the way they played tonight for the first 67 minutes, Switzerland have every chance.

The quarter-final that nobody predicted will be the most interesting match of the last eight.

Need to know

What was the Argentina vs Egypt final score?
Argentina vs Egypt final score was Argentina 3-2 Egypt in the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Egypt led 2-0 before Argentina scored three times — Romero 79′, Messi 83′ and Enzo Fernandez 90+3′.

Who scored for Argentina against Egypt?
Cristian Romero scored in the 79th minute, Lionel Messi scored in the 83rd minute and Enzo Fernandez scored the winner in the 90+3rd minute.

Who scored for Egypt against Argentina?
Y. Ibrahim scored Egypt’s opening goal in the 15th minute and M. Ziko scored their second in the 67th minute — giving Egypt a 2-0 lead before Argentina’s remarkable comeback.

How many goals does Messi have at World Cup 2026?
Lionel Messi has 8 goals at the 2026 World Cup after his goal against Egypt — the most of any player at the tournament and the all-time record for goals in a single World Cup campaign by any player in the 48-team era.

Did Egypt really lead Argentina 2-0?
Yes — Egypt led Argentina 2-0 at the 67th minute of their Round of 16 match before Argentina scored three times in eleven minutes plus stoppage time to win 3-2.

Who does Argentina play in the quarter-finals?
Argentina face Switzerland in the quarter-finals on Sunday July 12 at 4am Arabian Standard Time. Switzerland beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties in their Round of 16 match.

Conclusion

Argentina vs Egypt result: Argentina 3-2 Egypt. Romero. Messi. Enzo Fernandez in stoppage time. The defending champions survive. Again.

Egypt were 2-0 up in the 67th minute of a World Cup Round of 16 against Argentina. That sentence deserves to be read twice and then kept. They were extraordinary. Their 2026 campaign — qualifying from their group, beating Australia on penalties through Salah’s Panenka, leading the world champions with 23 minutes remaining — is the story that Egyptian football will tell for a generation.

Argentina are through. But Switzerland await. And the way Argentina have been playing, nobody should expect that quarter-final to be comfortable.

Read next: Switzerland vs Colombia — Penalty Shootout Sends Switzerland to Quarter-Finals

Related: Argentina vs Cabo Verde 3-2 AET — Vozinha’s Nine Saves
Related: Argentina World Cup 2026 Schedule — Complete Quarter-Final Guide
Related: Egypt World Cup 2026 Schedule — Salah’s Historic Journey

Are Argentina genuine contenders to win this World Cup or are they just finding ways to survive — and does Switzerland have the defensive quality to stop Messi in the quarter-finals? Tell us in the comments below

USA vs Belgium Lineup Confirmed: Pulisic and Balogun Face De Bruyne and Tielemans — The Round of 16 Match That Has Everything

July 6, 2026 by Hemim Sk

USA vs Belgium possible lineups for World Cup 2026 Round of 16. Pulisic, Balogun and Freese start for USA. De Bruyne, Tielemans and Courtois lead Belgium. USA beat Belgium 5-2 in March. Belgium came back from 0-2 vs Senegal. Everything you need before tonight’s biggest match.

Published: July 7, 2026 | Category: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Author: Hemim SK

USA vs Belgium lineup: confirmed. And everything about this match — the history, the context, the players, the stakes — makes it the most anticipated Round of 16 fixture of the entire 2026 World Cup.

Four months ago, in March 2026, the United States beat Belgium 5-2 in an international friendly. Belgium’s golden generation — De Bruyne, Lukaku, Courtois — were outrun, outpressed and outscored by a USMNT side that is younger, faster and built for exactly the kind of high-tempo, direct football that ageing European squads find hardest to handle.

Three weeks ago in Seattle, Belgium came back from 0-2 down with four minutes remaining to beat Senegal 3-2 after extra time in the most extraordinary comeback of the entire tournament. Tielemans scored the equaliser in the 89th minute. Tielemans scored the winning penalty in the 120+5th minute. An entire golden generation finding something none of their critics believed they still had.

Tonight those two stories collide. Lumen Field in Seattle — the same stadium where Belgium beat Senegal in that impossible comeback — hosts the match that determines which of them goes to the quarter-finals.

USA vs Belgium. Round of 16. The co-host nation against the golden generation. Everything on the line.

USA vs Belgium — Match Facts

Date: Monday July 7, 2026
Kickoff: 3am local Seattle time — check your timezone
Venue: Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field), Seattle, Washington
Round of 16 — World Cup 2026
TV USA: Fox / FREE on Tubi / Telemundo (Spanish)
TV UK: BBC One / BBC iPlayer — free
TV Belgium: VRT / RTBF — free to air

How to Watch USA vs Belgium FREE

FREE in the USA:
Tubi — completely FREE, no subscription needed. Download the Tubi app or go to tubi.tv on any device right now. The fastest and easiest free option for American fans tonight.
Fox — free with cable subscription or over-the-air HD antenna.
Telemundo — Spanish language, free with cable or antenna.

FREE in the UK:
BBC One and BBC iPlayer — free to air. No subscription required. Available on every device at bbc.co.uk/iplayer.

FREE in Belgium:
VRT — Dutch language, free to air, Belgium’s public broadcaster.
RTBF — French language, free to air.
Both available to stream online via their respective apps.

FREE Worldwide:
FIFA+ at plus.fifa.com — free streaming where local rights allow.

Paid options: Fubo (USA — all 104 matches), DAZN (Canada)

USA POSSIBLE LINEUP — 4-3-3

Source: Olympics.com / US Soccer

Goalkeeper: Matt Freese (#24)
— Freese keeps his place after his solid performance against Bosnia.
Matt Turner remains on the bench.

Defence (back four):
Antonee Robinson (#5) — left back
Tim Ream (#13) — centre back, captain
Chris Richards (#3) — centre back
Alex Freeman (#16) — right back

Midfield (three):
Malik Tillman (#17)
Tyler Adams (#4)
Weston McKennie (#8)

Attack (three):
Christian Pulisic (#10)
Folarin Balogun (#20)
Sergiño Dest (#2)

Manager: Mauricio Pochettino

Key notes: Freese continues in goal over the more experienced Turner — a decision that has so far been vindicated by his composure under pressure against Bosnia. Tim Ream’s captaincy and reading of the game at 37 is the quiet organisational genius behind everything USA do defensively. The attacking trio of Pulisic, Balogun and Dest gives Belgium’s back line a specific problem — pace on all three sides of the attack, directness in the centre through Balogun and creativity from Pulisic’s inside movement.

Tyler Adams — the former Leeds United and RB Leipzig midfielder — is the player who makes this entire USA system function. His ability to win the ball, cover ground and transition from defence to attack in one movement is the foundation on which Pochettino has built everything. Against Belgium’s creative midfield, Adams’s defensive work rate will be tested more severely than in any previous match at this tournament.

BELGIUM POSSIBLE LINEUP — 4-2-3-1

Source: Olympics.com

Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois (#1)
— The Real Madrid goalkeeper, considered one of the best in the world, starts. His command of the penalty area and distribution gives Belgium a technical advantage at the back that the USA’s Matt Freese cannot quite match on reputation alone.

Defence (back four):
Maxim De Cuyper (#5) — left back
Arthur Theate (#3) — centre back
Brandon Mechele (#4) — centre back
Timothy Castagne (#21) — right back

Midfield (double pivot):
Hans Vanaken (#20)
Youri Tielemans (#8)

Attacking three:
Jeremy Doku (#11) — left
Kevin De Bruyne (#7) — central attacking mid
Leandro Trossard (#10) — right

Striker:
Charles De Ketelaere (#17)

Manager: Rudi Garcia

Key notes: Tielemans starts — of course he does. The man who scored the equaliser against Senegal in the 89th minute and the winning penalty in the 120+5th is Belgium’s most in-form player at this tournament. His physical energy, his goalscoring instinct from midfield and the specific confidence of a player who has already delivered two of the biggest goals of the entire Round of 32 makes him Belgium’s most dangerous figure tonight.

Kevin De Bruyne at 34 is making what is almost certainly his final appearance at a World Cup. The greatest central midfielder of his generation — Champions League winner, multiple-time PFA Players’ Player of the Year — has one more knockout match to show the world exactly why his name will be spoken in the same breath as the sport’s all-time greats for the next fifty years. Against Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie, De Bruyne in space is Belgium’s most dangerous possible scenario.

Jeremy Doku on the left — still returning to full fitness after his illness in the group stage — is the most electrifying one-on-one attacker in this Belgium squad. If Doku is at 100% tonight, Alex Freeman and the USA’s right defensive side face the hardest 90 minutes of their tournament.

The Three Key Battles Tonight

Christian Pulisic vs Youri Tielemans

The captain of the USA against the man who ended Senegal’s World Cup dream twice in four minutes. Pulisic’s role tonight is not purely about scoring or assisting — it is about controlling the tempo from the right side, drawing defenders and creating the combinations that allow Balogun to find space centrally. Tielemans, playing as the more advanced of Belgium’s double pivot, will be specifically tasked with pressing Pulisic early and often.

Their battle in the central-right areas of the pitch is the match within the match — whichever player controls that specific space will likely determine which team controls the game.

Folarin Balogun vs Theate and Mechele

Balogun’s pace, movement and clinical finishing has been the story of the USA’s tournament — two goals against Paraguay in the group stage, consistent threat in every match since. Theate and Mechele at centre-back for Belgium are experienced, physical and organised. But Balogun does not need much space. He needs one moment of separation and one touch of composure. As every Paraguay defender learned in the 4-1 group stage defeat, he has both.

Kevin De Bruyne vs Tyler Adams

The most technically fascinating battle of the match. De Bruyne’s ability to find passes that others cannot see, his set-piece delivery and his movement between Belgium’s attacking lines means Adams must track him relentlessly without being dragged out of position. Too close to De Bruyne and Adams leaves space behind him for Doku and Trossard. Too deep and De Bruyne finds the pockets he needs to control the match.

Adams is one of the best defensive midfielders at this tournament. De Bruyne is one of the best creative midfielders to have ever played the sport. Tonight they share a pitch in the Round of 16 of a home World Cup.

The Context — Why This Match Is Different

The USA beat Belgium 5-2 in March. That result is relevant and it is not relevant simultaneously. Friendly football in March exists in a completely different psychological universe from a World Cup Round of 16 in July. Belgium’s players know that scoreline. They will have been thinking about it since the bracket confirmed this fixture. Whether it motivates them or provides a specific kind of psychological fuel — the kind of anger that produces extraordinary performances — is something only they can answer.

Belgium arrived at this tournament being written off. Their golden generation was finished, the critics said. Too old. Too slow. Past their best. Then they came back from 0-2 in the 85th minute against Senegal and won in the 120+5th. The most dramatic single match of the entire Round of 32. The kind of result that does not simply give a team confidence — it gives them a specific belief in their own impossibility that rational analysis cannot account for.

The USA, meanwhile, are playing in front of their home crowd, at the venue where Belgium beat Senegal, with the full weight of a nation’s football expectations behind them. Pochettino has built something real with this squad — the 4-1 win over Paraguay, the clean sheet against Bosnia, the sustained collective identity of a team that presses, runs and creates together rather than depending on individual moments.

Both teams have earned their place in this Round of 16. Both teams have a specific story to continue. Only one of them can.

Prediction

This is the hardest Round of 16 match to predict on the entire bracket. The USA’s youth, pace and home advantage against Belgium’s experience, individual quality and the specific momentum of the Senegal comeback.

The USA’s pressing system, at its best, was exactly what Belgium struggled with in March. If Pochettino can replicate that intensity from the first whistle — pressing De Bruyne into mistakes, limiting Doku’s space with early defensive awareness and using Balogun’s pace to punish Belgium’s high defensive line on the counter — the USA have every chance.

But De Bruyne at a World Cup, in what may be his last knockout match, with Tielemans’s recent form and Courtois’s goalkeeping quality behind them — Belgium are not here simply to be the team the home nation beats on their way to the quarter-finals.

Prediction: USA 2-1 Belgium (after extra time)

Balogun to score. De Bruyne to produce a moment of pure quality that equalises. The match to go to extra time after a tense second half. USA to find the winner through a set piece — Tim Ream’s reading of the game from a corner or a Pulisic free kick.

But Belgium winning on penalties is equally possible. And if it comes to a shootout, Courtois against the USA’s penalty takers is not a situation that automatically favours the home side.

Need To Know

What is the USA possible lineup vs Belgium?
USA possible XI: Matt Freese (GK); Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream (Captain), Chris Richards, Alex Freeman (defence); Malik Tillman, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie (midfield); Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Sergiño Dest (attack). Formation: 4-3-3. Manager: Mauricio Pochettino.

What is Belgium’s possible lineup vs USA?
Belgium possible XI: Thibaut Courtois (GK); Maxim De Cuyper, Arthur Theate, Brandon Mechele, Timothy Castagne (defence); Hans Vanaken, Youri Tielemans (midfield); Jeremy Doku, Kevin De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard (attacking three); Charles De Ketelaere (striker). Formation: 4-2-3-1. Manager: Rudi Garcia.

Did USA beat Belgium before World Cup 2026?
Yes — the United States beat Belgium 5-2 in an international friendly in March 2026, four months before this Round of 16 meeting at Lumen Field in Seattle.

How can I watch USA vs Belgium for free?
In the USA: Tubi streams it completely FREE — no subscription needed. Also free on Fox with cable or antenna. In the UK: BBC One and BBC iPlayer, free to air. In Belgium: VRT and RTBF, free to air.

Is this Kevin De Bruyne’s last World Cup match?
Kevin De Bruyne is 34 years old and has indicated this is his final major tournament. USA vs Belgium in the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 at Lumen Field in Seattle is almost certainly one of the last major international matches of his career.

Who is Youri Tielemans in Belgium’s lineup?
Youri Tielemans is the Aston Villa midfielder who scored Belgium’s equaliser in the 89th minute AND the winning penalty in the 120+5th minute against Senegal in the Round of 32 — the two goals that completed the most dramatic comeback of World Cup 2026. He starts tonight against the USA.

What time is USA vs Belgium?
USA vs Belgium kicks off at 3am local Seattle time. Check your local timezone. The match is at Lumen Field (Seattle Stadium) in Seattle, Washington.

Who does the winner of USA vs Belgium play in the quarter-finals?
The winner of USA vs Belgium faces either Spain or the winner from the other side of the bracket in the quarter-finals, based on current bracket positioning.

Conclusion

USA vs Belgium. Lumen Field. The same stadium where Belgium beat Senegal. The same pitch where Tielemans scored in the 89th minute and the 120+5th. The same city where the USA have played their home games throughout this tournament and where 60,000 fans will give Pulisic, Balogun and Pochettino’s side the kind of support that changes the outcome of close matches.

Free on Tubi. Free on Fox. Free on BBC iPlayer.

De Bruyne vs Adams. Balogun vs Mechele and Theate. Pulisic vs Tielemans. Courtois vs Freese. The golden generation’s last dance vs the co-host nation’s biggest night.

This is the match. Watch it.

Read next: USA vs Belgium — Full Time Result and Match Report — World Cup 2026

Related: Belgium 3-2 Senegal AET — The Greatest Comeback Nobody Saw Coming
Related: USA 3-0 Bosnia — USMNT’s Round of 32 Match Report
Related: World Cup 2026 Quarter-Final Schedule — Every Match and How to Watch Free

USA or Belgium — who advances to the quarter-finals tonight, and does De Bruyne produce the defining moment of his final World Cup match? Tell us in the comments below

Portugal vs Spain Result: Portugal 0-1 Spain — Merino’s 90+1 Minute Goal Ends Ronaldo’s Final World Cup on the Night Yamal’s Began

July 6, 2026 by Hemim Sk

Portugal vs Spain final score was Portugal 0-1 Spain in the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 at AT&T Stadium Dallas. Mikel Merino scored in the 90+1st minute. Lamine Yamal — born the day Ronaldo cried at Euro 2004 — created the winning goal to end Ronaldo’s final World Cup.

Published: July 7, 2026 | Category: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Author: Hemim SK

Portugal vs Spain result: Portugal 0-1 Spain.

Mikel Merino scored in the 90th minute plus one. Spain win. Portugal are out. Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup is over.

But the scoreline — as is so often the case at this tournament — tells almost nothing about what actually happened at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on the night of July 6, 2026. Because this was not simply a match result. It was a transfer of power. A moment where football’s past and future existed on the same pitch at the same time and the future won, in the last possible second, with all the cruelty and poetry that only this sport can produce.

Lamine Yamal is 18 years old. He was born on July 13, 2007. On that exact same date — July 13, 2004 — a 19-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo was on the pitch at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, crying, after Portugal lost the Euro 2004 final to Greece. It was the first great heartbreak of his career. A teenager weeping on home soil after the closest he had ever come to a major trophy.

The boy born on the day of Ronaldo’s first great heartbreak scored the assist that created the goal ending Ronaldo’s last World Cup. In the 90th minute plus one. With the entire world watching.

There is no more complete story in football. There is no neater passage of time.

Portugal vs Spain — Match Facts

Final Score: Portugal 0-1 Spain
Date: Sunday July 6, 2026
Venue: Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium), Arlington, Texas
Round of 16 — World Cup 2026

Goal:
Spain — M. Merino 90+1′

Man of the Match: Lamine Yamal
Man Whose Night It Really Was: Cristiano Ronaldo — in his final ever World Cup match

Spain advance to the Quarter-Finals.
Portugal are eliminated from World Cup 2026 — Ronaldo’s international career is almost certainly over.

The 90 Minutes That Came Before

For 90 minutes, this was the match Ronaldo needed it to be. Portugal defended with discipline, organised themselves carefully under Roberto Martinez and gave Spain — the tournament’s most technically fluent team, Euro 2024 champions, ranked first in the world — almost nothing to work with in the central areas that Pedri, Rodri and Lamine Yamal need to combine.

Diogo Costa was excellent throughout. Ruben Dias and Renato Veiga at centre back handled Spain’s movement and pressed effectively whenever the ball reached dangerous positions. Vitinha and Ruben Neves in the double pivot denied Pedri the space between the lines that makes him most dangerous.

Ronaldo, for his part, was involved. More involved than he had been in the Colombia draw, more than the DR Congo nightmare. His movement created problems — a run in behind in the 34th minute that forced a crucial intervention from Pau Cubarsi, a powerful header in the 61st minute from a Joao Cancelo cross that flashed inches wide. He worked. He competed. He was, for 90 minutes, a legitimate threat rather than a marginal figure.

But Spain had Yamal.

The teenager — playing with the complete freedom of a player who has already broken every age record available to him at this tournament — was Portugal’s most persistent problem throughout. His directness from the right, his ability to cut inside onto his left foot and find combinations in tight spaces, his first touch under pressure that makes defensive intervention almost impossible — Yamal was the best player on the pitch for 90 minutes without finding the goal or assist that his performance deserved.

Until the 91st minute.

90+1′ — GOAL SPAIN — MIKEL MERINO

The goal that ended everything arrived the way great World Cup goals often do — from a moment that seemed to be running out of time turning, suddenly, into the only moment that mattered.

Yamal received the ball on Spain’s right side with Portugal’s defence compact and organised. He drove at the Portuguese backline one final time, creating a sliver of space on the inside that his body movement suggested he would exploit directly. Instead he released it — perfectly weighted, perfectly timed — across the face of the penalty area to Mikel Merino, arriving late at the back post with the specific run of a midfielder who had been making that exact movement all evening without reward.

Merino’s finish was clean and certain. Low, driven, past Diogo Costa before the goalkeeper could adjust. Spain 1-0 Portugal. 90+1. The 94,000-capacity AT&T Stadium held its breath for exactly one second before erupting.

Ronaldo stood in the centre circle. For a moment he did not move. Around him, Spain celebrated, Portuguese players slumped and the scoreboard showed a number — 1-0, 90+1 — that represented the end of something enormous.

The final whistle followed four minutes later. Portugal 0-1 Spain. The World Cup that had begun with Ronaldo’s first-ever tournament hat-trick against Algeria in Kansas City, that had continued with the 769-pass paradox against DR Congo, that had been redeemed through the 5-0 destruction of Uzbekistan, that had seen him record his 10th World Cup goal and score at six different tournaments — ended here. AT&T Stadium, Dallas. 90+1 minute. A late Merino goal. The boy born on the day of his first great heartbreak providing the final assist.

Ronaldo After the Final Whistle

What happened in the minutes after the final whistle was not shown on all broadcasters, but those who saw it described it clearly. Ronaldo walked slowly toward the centre of the pitch. His teammates came to him one by one. He did not cry — not visibly, not immediately. He stood and absorbed it with the composure of a man who has known since before this tournament began that every match might be the last.

He then walked toward the Spain players and specifically sought out Lamine Yamal. The 41-year-old and the 18-year-old. 23 years between them. The greatest career in the history of European football and the career that will define the next generation of the sport. They embraced on the pitch at AT&T Stadium. The image circled the world within minutes.

Yamal said something to Ronaldo. Nobody caught the words. Whatever they were, the moment — captured in photographs that were already being called iconic before the stadium lights dimmed — said everything the sport needed to say about what had just happened.

What This Means — The End of an Era

Cristiano Ronaldo will not play at another World Cup. At 41 years and a number of days, the 2026 tournament was always understood to be his last. He leaves it having:

Scored at six different World Cups — the only player in history to do so
Scored 10 career World Cup goals — the all-time Portugal record
Scored his first ever hat-trick at a World Cup — against Algeria in the group stage
Become the oldest player to score at a World Cup in this tournament
Never scored in a World Cup knockout match — the one record that remained unbroken

That final point — the one that our article three days ago identified as the defining individual story of his knockout campaign — ends tonight confirmed. Zero goals in knockout football across six World Cups. Portugal scored one goal at this tournament in the knockout stages. It came from Joao Neves in the group stage opener against DR Congo. Never from Ronaldo.

But the record book and the emotional reality of watching someone play their final World Cup match rarely align neatly. What actually happened across this tournament — the hat-trick, the redemption against Uzbekistan, the Ronaldo Paradox article that became one of this site’s most read pieces, the brace that broke all existing records — was a career final act that a player of Ronaldo’s stature deserved.

He leaves the World Cup stage. He leaves with records that will not be broken in any of our lifetimes. And he leaves having shaken the hand of the 18-year-old who was born on the day of his first great heartbreak, who provided the last-minute assist that ended his final World Cup, and who now carries the weight of everything that Ronaldo has been.

Yamal — The Quarter-Final Awaits

Spain advance to the quarter-finals with Yamal producing the kind of performance across 90 minutes and into stoppage time that confirms what the record books already suggest — this is not simply a talented teenager. This is the best player at this tournament at his current level of performance, and at 18, the gap between now and his absolute peak has not yet arrived.

His quarter-final opponent, Spain’s position in the bracket and the path to the final — all of this matters. But tonight, at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, the most important thing that happened was not tactical or statistical.

The boy born on the day of Ronaldo’s first great heartbreak ended Ronaldo’s final World Cup in the 90th minute plus one. And then they embraced on the pitch, and the sport moved forward, as it always does, toward the next thing.

Need To Know

What was the Portugal vs Spain final score?
Portugal vs Spain final score was Portugal 0-1 Spain in the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Mikel Merino scored in the 90+1st minute.

Who scored for Spain against Portugal?
Mikel Merino scored Spain’s winning goal in the 90th minute plus one — assisted by Lamine Yamal from the right side of Portugal’s penalty area.

Is Ronaldo’s World Cup career over?
Yes — Portugal’s 0-1 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16 almost certainly ends Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career. At 41 years old, the 2026 tournament was his sixth and final World Cup appearance.

Did Ronaldo score against Spain?
No — Cristiano Ronaldo did not score against Spain. He had a header in the 61st minute that went narrowly wide but did not register a goal. He ends his World Cup career having never scored in a knockout match across all six tournaments.

How old is Lamine Yamal?
Lamine Yamal is 18 years old, born on July 13, 2007 — the same date as the Euro 2004 final in which a 19-year-old Ronaldo played for Portugal against Greece.

Did Yamal score against Portugal?
Lamine Yamal did not score against Portugal but provided the assist for Mikel Merino’s 90+1 winner, driving at Portugal’s defence before releasing the ball across the penalty area for the arriving midfielder.

Who does Spain play in the quarter-finals?
Spain’s quarter-final opponent will be confirmed as the Round of 16 results are completed. Their position in the bracket will determine which team they face.

Was this Ronaldo’s last ever international match?
Portugal’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup in the Round of 16 almost certainly means this was Cristiano Ronaldo’s final international match. He has not announced retirement but at 41, another major tournament appearance is virtually impossible.

Conclusion

Portugal vs Spain result: Portugal 0-1 Spain. Merino in the 90+1st minute. Yamal with the assist. Ronaldo’s World Cup is over.

The boy born on the day of Ronaldo’s first great heartbreak ended Ronaldo’s final World Cup in the last possible minute. And then they stood together on the pitch at AT&T Stadium in Dallas and the sport acknowledged, in the only language it speaks, that something had ended and something else had begun.

Ronaldo scored at six World Cups. He scored 10 career tournament goals. He set records that will not be broken. He never scored in a knockout match.

He walked off the AT&T Stadium pitch for the last time as a World Cup footballer at 41 years old, having given the sport twenty-two years of everything he had.

That is enough. That will always be enough.

Read next: World Cup 2026 Quarter-Final Schedule — Every Match, Venue and How to Watch Free

Related: Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan — Ronaldo’s Historic Brace at Six World Cups
Related: Portugal 1-1 DR Congo — The Ronaldo Paradox That Started It All
Related: Spain World Cup 2026 Schedule — La Roja’s Complete Campaign

Is the Yamal-Ronaldo connection — born on the day of his first heartbreak, ending his final World Cup — the greatest story of World Cup 2026? Tell us in the comments below