Spain faces Belgium in World Cup quarter-final, Pedri benched
Spain and Belgium are set to compete in the second quarter-final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles. The match, scheduled for July 10, will determine which team advances to the semi-finals.
This encounter marks the third time these two nations have met in a FIFA World Cup, and their second clash at the quarter-final stage. In 1986, Belgium progressed after a 1-1 draw, winning on penalties. Spain also secured a 2-1 group stage victory in 1990.
Historically, Spain has maintained an unbeaten record against Belgium in their last 11 meetings across all competitions, following a 1-2 defeat at Euro 1980. La Roja has won their last five consecutive matches against the Red Devils, with an aggregate score of 13-1.
Spain’s Tactical Changes and Tournament Form
For this quarter-final, Spain has made one change to their starting lineup, with Fabian Ruiz replacing Pedri. The 23-year-old midfielder, Pedri, will start on the bench against Belgium. This is the first match in the current World Cup where the Barcelona star has not been in Spain’s starting XI, having previously started every group-stage and knockout fixture.
While there has been no official confirmation regarding the reason for this decision, it does not appear to be due to an injury or fitness concern. Pedri was substituted in the 85th minute of Spain’s Round of 16 match without showing any visible discomfort. Journalist Dermot Corrigan suggested that Luis de la Fuente’s decision to bench Pedri could be a tactical move, noting that Pedri has not been at his best in the tournament, while Fabian Ruiz performed well as a substitute against Portugal.
The possibility remains that Luis de la Fuente might introduce Pedri later in the match to provide fresh energy and creative play, especially if Belgium, known for their strong performances and late comebacks, presents such a scenario. Another notable player on Spain’s bench is Nico Williams, who is still recovering from an injury sustained in the final group-stage match against Uruguay.
Spain’s starting lineup for the quarter-final includes Unai Simon, Marc Cucurella, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsí, Pedro Porro, Fabian Ruiz, Rodri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena, and Mikel Oyarzabal.
Historical Performance and Key Players
This will be Spain’s sixth FIFA World Cup quarter-final appearance. After being eliminated from their first four quarter-finals between 1934 and 2002, La Roja won their last quarter-final 1-0 against Paraguay in 2010, a tournament they ultimately won.
Spain has also established a remarkable defensive record, keeping a clean sheet in each of their last six FIFA World Cup games, which is the longest such run in the competition’s history. In the current tournament, their average expected goals against (xGA) per game is 0.30, the lowest on record since 1966 for any team in a finals edition.
Under manager Luis de la Fuente, Spain has successfully advanced from all six of their major tournament (FIFA World Cup/UEFA EURO) knockout games. Only two other managers have progressed from their first seven knockout ties at major tournaments with European nations: Vittorio Pozzo (eight with Italy, 1934-1938) and Vicente del Bosque (seven with Spain, 2010-2012).
For Belgium, Romelu Lukaku has been a significant player, scoring in each of their last three FIFA World Cup games. He is the second player to achieve this for the Red Devils, following Marc Wilmots in 2002. All three of Lukaku’s goals in this tournament have come as a substitute. Only Roger Milla for Cameroon in 1990 has scored more goals from the bench at a single World Cup, with four.
The match between Spain and Belgium is scheduled to take place at Los Angeles Stadium on July 10.
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Source: theanalyst.com
