Belgium arrived at the 2026 World Cup with familiar questions hanging over them, and the group stage did little to quiet the doubters. But across two knockout-round performances, Rudi Garcia's side have shed that uncertainty and now carry genuine momentum into a quarterfinal showdown with Spain, the reigning European champion. It is the sternest test yet of whether this Belgian revival is real or merely a product of favourable draws.
The turnaround began in dramatic fashion against Senegal in the round of 32. Trailing 2-0 with fewer than ten minutes remaining, Belgium refused to fold - pulling level to force extra time and ultimately winning 3-2 in a match that will be remembered as a turning point. That kind of comeback rarely emerges from a team low on belief, and Garcia will have drawn enormous confidence from it. For context on the Spain side awaiting them, Nico Williams - one of La Roja's most electric attacking threats - has been the subject of intense transfer speculation, though as noted in the original article, the winger has made clear his commitment to Athletic Club, suggesting he arrives in this tournament with a settled mind and no contractual distractions to weigh on him.
Against the United States in the round of 16, Belgium were clinical and controlled, winning 4-1 on home soil for the tournament hosts. Garcia chose an athletic, high-energy lineup that sacrificed some creative pedigree for pressing intensity - a calculated gamble that paid off handsomely. Charles De Ketelaere was the standout performer, netting twice to announce himself as one of the tournament's emerging names. Romelu Lukaku and Jérémy Doku both arrived as second-half substitutes, with Lukaku adding a late goal to complete the rout. Kevin De Bruyne, notably, was not used at all, arriving at the quarterfinal having been carefully managed and fully rested.
Garcia's Selection Puzzle Against Spain
The absence of Amadou Onana through injury complicates Garcia's midfield planning ahead of the Spain match. Onana's physicality and ability to break up play were central to Belgium's pressing structure, and finding a like-for-like replacement is not straightforward. The expected lineup reflects Garcia's attempt to balance defensive solidity with attacking ambition.
- Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois
- Defenders: Maxim De Cuyper, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, Timothy Castagne
- Midfielders: Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Jérémy Doku, Kevin De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard
- Forward: Charles De Ketelaere
The inclusion of De Bruyne from the start is the headline decision. Playing him against Spain - a side built on high defensive lines and relentless positional pressing - is a significant tactical statement. De Bruyne's ability to find pockets of space and release runners in behind will be tested by a Spanish defensive structure that rarely gives experienced midfielders room to breathe. Tielemans and Vanaken provide the defensive cover behind him, freeing De Bruyne to operate as the primary creative force. Lukaku, meanwhile, is expected to be held in reserve as a second-half weapon, a role he has now performed twice in this tournament with growing effectiveness.
The Bigger Picture: A Generation's Last Stand
For Belgium, this World Cup carries the unmistakable weight of finality for several players. De Bruyne, Lukaku, and Courtois are all deep into their international careers, and the window for this generation to deliver major silverware is narrowing rapidly. Previous Belgian squads were frequently described as the country's greatest ever, yet the trophies never came. This tournament represents perhaps the final, best opportunity for that cohort to change the narrative.
Spain, for their part, are no easy hurdle. Luis de la Fuente's side claimed the European Championship and have shown the kind of technical authority and positional discipline that has historically exposed Belgium's structural vulnerabilities. The quarterfinal will be a genuine test of how much Garcia's side have genuinely grown across these knockout rounds - or whether Spain's quality will expose the limits of Belgium's revival before it reaches its destination.
