Oh man, this 2026 World Cup quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood just kicked off, and Spain is already on the board! Fabian Ruiz, stepping in for Pedri in the midfield, delivered the opening goal for Spain, sending a clear message to Belgium that this isn't gonna be easy.
Spain's High Hopes Meet Belgium's Golden Generation
Let's be real, Spain walked into this tournament with expectations through the roof. Everyone's been talking about them being one of the world's best, and Lamine Yamal, at just 18, is already proving he's one of the planet's top players, growing his legacy with every round. Belgium, though, brought their "Golden Generation," even if they're all 30 or older now. They clawed back with a narrow 3-2 win against Senegal and then put on a show with a convincing 4-1 victory over the U.S. to get here. This is their first quarterfinal since 2018, when they snagged third place. A win over Spain would absolutely shock the world, but hey, it's the World Cup, right? Anything can happen.
Ruiz Buries It After Olmo's Shot, Yamal Nearly Adds More
The action started heating up early on this Friday afternoon. At 3:30 p.m. ET, the ball bounced back after Dani Olmo's initial effort, and who was there but Fabian Ruiz to slam it home for Spain's first goal! Five minutes later, at 3:35 p.m. ET, Lamine Yamal was brought down by Jeremy Doku right outside Belgium's box. Yamal stepped up and had a decent free kick attempt himself, but Belgium's goalie, Thibault Courtois, managed to push it out.
The winner of this absolute battle will move on to the semifinals and face whoever comes out on top between France and Morocco. You know we'll be glued to every second of that one!
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