Merino Strikes Again as Spain Dazzles Past Belgium to Secure Thrilling Semifinal Showdown

Another clutch performance from Mikel Merino delivered Spain a thrilling 2–1 win over Belgium on Friday, punching La Roja's ticket to the semifinals.

Luis de la Fuente's side dominated proceedings from the first whistle, keeping possession with ease against a Belgium squad decimated by injuries. A goal for the 2024 European champions seemed inevitable, though Fabián Ruiz was hardly the most likely candidate to break the deadlock.

Nevertheless, the midfielder was perfectly positioned to tap home a rebound off Thibaut Courtois and hand Spain a 1–0 lead at the 30-minute mark. Belgium hit back just 11 minutes later, however, with Charles De Ketelaere powering home a header to level the score.

The match remained locked at 1–1 for much of the second period, with extra time appearing inevitable — until super sub Merino once again rode to the rescue, poking in a fumble from Senne Lammens in the 88th minute.

Spain saw out the result and stretched its unbeaten run to 36 games across all competitions — a streak they'll look to preserve in their next outing against France, with a place in the World Cup final at stake.

Winners and Losers

Winners

Fabián Ruiz was the sole change De la Fuente made from the victory over Portugal, and the 30-year-old justified his manager's faith by scoring in his second start of the tournament. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder also partnered Rodri effectively in the engine room with his sharp passing and did a solid job disrupting Belgium's transitions.

Mikel Merino continues to fully earn his super sub reputation. The Arsenal man needed just six minutes to score the winner against Portugal in the round of 16, and he worked the same magic — this time only two minutes after coming on — to propel Spain into the semifinals. The 30-year-old consistently rises to the occasion on the grandest stages.

Losers

Pau Cubarsí may have fired the shot that led to Lammens' error, but he fell short defensively on Friday. The Barcelona centre-back was beaten in the air by De Ketelaere and couldn't mount any challenge on the header Belgium converted. Cubarsí's lack of height and physicality proved costly — and France's dangerous attack will surely have taken notice.

Mikel Oyarzabal has been a quiet contributor for Spain in North America, but he was largely invisible against Belgium. He lacked the sharpness to threaten on the counter and received minimal service from his teammates. By the time he was withdrawn in the 79th minute, he had managed just a single shot.

Spain Player Ratings vs. Belgium (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Unai Simón—6.5: Caught off guard for Belgium's goal. Made a costly error rushing off his line in stoppage time and required Laporte's intervention to prevent Belgium from equalizing and forcing extra time.

RB: Pedro Porro—7.6: Didn't register an assist, but delivered a superb cutback to Dani Olmo that created the opening for Spain's first goal. Thrived when combining with Yamal down the right. Did a commendable job containing Doku for the most part.

CB: Pau Cubarsí—7.5: A mixed display. Completely outjumped by the imposing De Ketelaere for Belgium's equalizer. Showcased his range of passing, splitting Belgium's defense with a perfectly weighted ball over the top. Struck the shot that Merino converted to win the match.

CB: Aymeric Laporte—7.1: Largely untroubled until a crucial stoppage-time intervention that may have saved the game, bailing out Simón who had strayed well off his line.

LB: Marc Cucurella—7.1: Was caught out of position when Castagne contributed to Belgium's equalizer. Improved defensively as the match progressed, but offered little going forward.

CM: Rodri—7.8: A complete midfield performance. Dictated the tempo, tracked back to support Porro defensively, and created two chances. Finished the game with a remarkable 98 completed passes.

CM: Fabián Ruiz—7.6: Earned the surprise start ahead of Pedri and reminded everyone why he has two Champions League medals. Opened the scoring with a composed right-footed finish.

RW: Lamine Yamal—7.8: Faced constant attention from defenders but still delivered a dazzling individual display. Tormented Doku on multiple occasions. Played a key role in the build-up to Spain's opener.

AM: Dani Olmo—7.7: His effort was the one Ruiz turned in to give Spain the lead. Equally impressive was his timely interception to halt Doku on a dangerous counter just before the break.

LW: Álex Baena—6.5: Made some promising runs in behind, but failed to produce any end product. Could have pressed Castagne more aggressively before the fullback set up De Ketelaere's header.

ST: Mikel Oyarzabal—7.4: An accidental collision with Olmo was about the most notable moment of his first half. His only shot was comfortably dealt with. Rarely looked capable of finding the net.

SUB: Ferran Torres (55' for Baena)—6.0: Showed intelligent movement off the ball, but his teammates struggled to pick him out when it counted.

SUB: Pedri (55' for Ruiz)—6.6: Helped Spain maintain pressure and keep Belgium pinned back from the moment he stepped on the pitch.

SUB: Nico Williams (79' for Oyarzabal)—6.3: Completed just six passes in a forgettable cameo.

SUB: Mikel Merino (86' for Olmo)—N/A

Subs not used: David Raya (GK), Joan García (GK), Eric Garcia, Marc Pubill, Marcos Llorente, Alex Grimaldo, Martín Zubimendi, Gavi, Borja Iglesias, Yéremy Pino, Víctor Muñoz.

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Spain's Last-Gasp Win

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