World Cup 2026 Friday takeaways: Belgium surprises, Spain pulls ahead

The fact that Belgium stayed competitive in this match while missing so many key players is nothing short of a minor miracle. Fans of the U. S. Men's National Team still ruing their early exit to the Belgians should breathe easier after seeing this performance: it turns out that the Red Devils are, in fact, really quite something. We'll see big things from them in tournaments to come.

Fabian Ruiz made a strong case for himself

It'd be a stretch to say that there's tension within Spain's World Cup squad, but there is certainly a divide between players who represent Barcelona on the club level and players who don't. The Barcelona crew has won out in coach Luis de la Fuente's starting eleven more often than not, and that's left a few talented players—namely Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabian Ruiz, often dropped for his Barcelona doppelganger Pedri—stuck on the bench.

Today, de la Fuente switched things up. He gave Ruiz the starting role and kept Pedri on the bench, and Ruiz ran with the opportunity like he was born to do it. He was magical for Spain in the first half and wound up scoring the team's opening goal after pouncing on a Belgium rebound in the box. With a performance like this on the books and a juicy tie with France on the calendar—the nation where Ruiz lives and plays his club soccer—we just might see him bench Pedri again.

Mikel Merino added to his late-goal legend

This World Cup has been wonderful for burnishing the legends of unexpected players. USMNT star Malik Tillman is now a free-kick god after nailing two in two straight knockout matches; Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha is a wanted man after his spirited performances against Spain, Uruguay and Argentina. And Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino? Why, he's become the world's greatest super sub in two games flat.

In Spain's tight, tetchy Round of 16 game against Portugal, it was Merino who broke the deadlock, scoring a 90+1-minute winner just six minutes after joining the fray. In this game against Belgium, Merino came to the rescue again, poking home the winner in the 88th minute after just two minutes on the field. His game-deciding goal was his second touch of the game.

Merino doesn't get quite the same love that his Spanish attacking teammates like Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal do, but he's quietly become one of the nation's deadliest—and most impactful—goalscorers nonetheless. Keep an eye out for him in Spain's quarterfinal. He's proven he knows how to show up in big games.

The World Cup will continue on Saturday with Norway taking on England in Miami and Argentina taking on Switzerland in Kansas City. Those two matches will close out the tournament's quarterfinal round.