10 July,2026 08:49 AM IST | Los Angeles | Agencies
Lamine Yamal during Spain’s match against Portugal on Monday. Pic/AFP
Belgium meet Spain in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals on Friday with the daunting task of breaching the European champions' watertight defence for the first time at the 2026 tournament.
In beating Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal 1-0 on Monday, Luis de la Fuente's men became the first team in history to record six consecutive World Cup clean sheets.
Spain have not shown the attacking flair of France, but they are playing the careful, possession-based football that took them to glory in South Africa in 2010.
The prodigiously gifted Lamine Yamal is the team's most potent attacker but the teenager arrived in the United States still recovering from a late-season injury and has netted just once in five games.
Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo said club teammate Yamal was growing into the tournament. "He brings so much to the team with his dribbling and presence. When he receives the ball, two or three opposing players close in on him, which opens up space," he said.
"I see Lamine doing well. He is gaining confidence after the initial problems, and he is getting better and better. He wants to prove himself, and he is going to give us a lot," Olmo added.
Interestingly though, Spain may not need to score too many goals to win - they have conceded just six shots on target in five matches.
"We are a team where everyone attacks and everyone defends," said Olmo. "The coach says the number nine is the first to defend and the others follow.
"The defensive line has been spectacular, it's a historic milestone. We're happy for [goalkeeper] Unai [Simon]. If we keep a clean sheet, we're closer to winning," he added.
Six
No. of shots on target conceded by Spain in five matches at the ongoing World Cup
Two
No. of time Spain have progressed beyond the World Cup quarter-finals, winning the title once, in 2010
1-1
Belgium and Spain's head-to-head record at the FIFA World Cup; the Red Devils won in 1986, while the latter emerged victorious in 1990
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