Mikel Merino blasted home a rebound in the 88th minute Friday, sealing a wild 2-1 victory for Spain over Belgium and punching their ticket to the World Cup semifinals. Get ready, Emerald City, because the most tantalizing matchup of the summer, Spain vs. France, is now officially a mouthwatering reality on Tuesday!
Merino's Magic Keeps Spain Rolling After Belgium's Blunder
That game-winner? Absolutely clutch. Belgium's substitute keeper, Senne Lammens, literally spilled a routine shot in the penalty area, just minutes after coming in for the injured starter Thibaut Courtois. Merino, Mr. Clutch himself, was right there, fastest to react, and slammed it home. Seriously, this guy lives for the big moments! He was the super sub who also delivered the decisive goal in extra time against Portugal in the Round of 16. What a legend! Belgium, to their credit, fought hard. They were supposedly past their prime coming into this World Cup, but they shut down the doubters. They finished atop their group, rallied to beat Senegal in the Round of 32, and even outclassed the U.S. in the Round of 16 in front of a seriously raucous crowd right here in Seattle! Losing captain Youri Tielemans to an undisclosed injury in warmups was a gut punch, but they battled.The World Cup Gets The Rivalry Match It Deserves: Spain vs. France
Now, the moment everyone's been waiting for is officially on: Spain vs. France in the semifinal on Tuesday. Talk about a heavyweight bout! Both teams came into this summer as co-favorites, and they’ve absolutely delivered on the pre-tournament hype. France is just explosive, right? Their attacking firepower, athleticism, and pace have overwhelmed everyone. Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembélé already racked up a combined 13 goals, and Michael Olise's savvy playmaking and vision are just unreal. Pundits are calling France the team to beat for a reason. But if any side can give France fits, it’s Spain. Their possession-heavy, technically gifted style is no joke. They’re unbeaten in a ridiculous 36 matches because they just control the game and shut down opponents' scoring chances. They hadn't even conceded a single goal this World Cup before the Belgium match! Yamal, earlier in the tournament, wasn't having any of it when asked if France was playing better than Spain. He straight up said, "No," and reminded reporters, "They haven’t beaten us since the Euros... For me, there’s no one above Spain." That’s the kind of confidence you love to see! These two have history, too. France grabbed a 2-1 win in the 2021 UEFA Nations League final, but Spain got their revenge in the Euros semifinals three years later with a stunning long-range goal from Yamal. Spain also knocked out France in a high-scoring Nations League semifinal last year. The stakes? Oh, they couldn’t be higher. So, mark your calendars. Tuesday's semifinal between Spain and France isn’t just another game. It’s a battle for World Cup supremacy, a chance for Spain to prove Yamal right, and for France to silence the doubters. Who’s going to come out on top and play for the biggest trophy in soccer? You absolutely cannot miss it!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.