Spain and Belgium secured their places in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Portugal and the United States respectively, İdman.Biz reports.
As reported by İdman.Biz, Spain edged past Portugal 1-0 in a tense Iberian derby, while Belgium produced an impressive 4-1 victory over one of the tournament's hosts in Seattle.
Spain struggled to break down Portugal's disciplined defensive setup for most of the match. Roberto Martínez's side relied on compact defending and quick counterattacks, while Spain gradually took control of possession and increased the pressure after the break.
The decisive moment came in first-half stoppage time. Substitute Mikel Merino met Ferran Torres' pass in the penalty area and calmly finished in the 90+1st minute to send Spain into the quarter-finals.
The defeat also marked the end of Cristiano Ronaldo's final FIFA World Cup campaign. Having previously confirmed this would be his last appearance at the tournament, the Portuguese captain finishes his World Cup career without lifting the trophy.
Belgium, meanwhile, delivered one of their most convincing performances of the tournament. Charles De Ketelaere opened the scoring in the ninth minute after capitalizing on defensive mistakes by the United States.
The hosts responded on the half-hour mark when Malik Tillman equalized following a free-kick that took a deflection. However, Belgium restored their lead just two minutes later as De Ketelaere struck again to complete his brace.
After halftime, another costly mistake by goalkeeper Matt Freese allowed Hans Vanaken to make it 3-1 in the 57th minute. Romelu Lukaku sealed the emphatic victory deep into stoppage time.
The result means all three host nations have now been eliminated in the Round of 16. Canada and Mexico were knocked out earlier, while the United States became the latest co-host to exit the tournament.
Spain and Belgium will now face each other in the quarter-finals, with a place in the last four at stake. Spain arrive with their possession-based style and patience, while Belgium have impressed with clinical finishing, physical strength and their ability to punish opponents' mistakes.
