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Spain advances to World Cup semi-finals behind Merino's late goal against Belgium

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 10, 2026, 11:30 PM

Last updated Jul 10, 2026

Spain advances to World Cup semi-finals behind Merino's late goal against Belgium
Summary

Mikel Merino scored the decisive goal off the bench as Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 in the World Cup quarter-finals on July 10. This marks Spain’s return to the semi-finals for the first time since they won the tournament in 2010. Merino has emerged as a crucial player, scoring in both the round of 16 and quarter-final matches. Spain will face France in the next round, setting up a significant matchup featuring Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal, who has yet to showcase his talent in this tournament.

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Latest Updates
  • •Merino scores the late winner after coming off the bench.
  • •Spain secures a place in the semi-finals with a 2-1 victory.
  • •This is Spain's first semi-final appearance since winning the World Cup in 2010.
  • •Spain will face France for a spot in the final.
  • •Lamine Yamal has scored one goal across six World Cup matches.
Latest Updates
  • 11:30 PMYahoo Sports — Merino the unlikely hero again - as Spain wait for Lamine Yamal show
  • 11:29 PMBBC Sport — Merino the unlikely hero again - as Spain wait for Lamine Yamal show
What they're saying
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Mikel Merino came off the bench to send Spain into the World Cup semi-finals - but Lamine Yamal is still waiting for his moment to truly shine.

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Mikel Merino came off the bench to send Spain into the World Cup semi-finals - but Lamine Yamal is still waiting for his moment to truly shine.

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