Belgium’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign came to an end at the quarterfinal stage as Rudi Garcia’s side lost 2-1 against Spain in Los Angeles.

After two impressive wins in the previous knockout stages, up against Senegal and co-hosts USA, Garcia’s team were edged out late on as Mikel Merino scored another winner off the bench for La Roja.

Merino’s chance to fire home from close range was gifted to the Arsenal midfielder after Senne Lammens fumbled Pau Cubarsi’s strike with the Manchester United stopper introduced late on following an injury to Thibaut Courtois.

Courtois was taken off after suffering a hip strain when making a clearance, and despite his best efforts to stay on thee field, Garcia made the call to throw on Lammens as his replacement.

Real Madrid’s No.1 admitted after the game his intention was to stay on and test the injury, but Garcia decided he was not 100%, and the veteran keeper accepted the substitution.

The 34-year-old was also asked about the possibility of a second international retirement – after being brought back into the fold by Garcia in March 2025 following a dispute with former boss Domenico Tedesco – and Courtois has a bold plan in place for the next 12 months.

“I want to rest for a year without any Belgium matches, and then play the Euro qualifiers and potentially Euro 2028. I don’t know if Belgium will agree to this.”

Belgium are next in action in the Nations League in September, with a double header against Italy and France, with qualification for Euro 2028 due to start in March 2027.

Lamine Yamal admitted that Spain have ‘no fear’ of France as the two sides prepare to meet in the World Cup semi-final.

Spain managed to get the better of Belgium in their quarter final thanks to another late goal from super-sub Mikel Merino.

That means Yamal and co will face off against France, who beat Morocco in their quarter-final, setting up a meeting of the two heavyweights.

Speaking to reporters after the game, a calm Yamal admitted that Spain aren’t afraid of France or the likes of Kylian Mbappe.

“I am so happy. We go to semi finals, we keep going. I am always closed off, with multiple players on me,” he said.

“But there’s always a free player, as it happened in the first goal”.

“We have no fear. We have beaten France in the last two games.”

Norway coach Stale Solbakken said the showdown between Erling Haaland and Harry Kane will go a long way to deciding his side’s World Cup quarter-final against England on Saturday.

Haaland has struck seven times in his first four appearances at a major tournament to fire Norway to the last eight for the first time on their return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence.

Kane is just one goal behind the Manchester City striker for the tournament after taking his World Cup tally to 14 as he has helped England reach a third consecutive quarter-final.

“I think it’s Norway versus England but I don’t think it is a secret that Kane is the match winner number one for England and Haaland is the match winner number one for us,” Solbakken said at his pre-match press conference in Miami.

Solbakken’s counterpart Thomas Tuchel was recruited by the English Football Association to get a talented generation of players over the line after a series of narrow misses at major tournaments under his predecessor Gareth Southgate.

By contrast, Norway are in their first major tournament of any kind for 26 years and have exceeded expectations, most notably in stunning 2-1 win against Brazil thanks to Haaland’s late double in the last 16.

“Every game has been the most important (in history) for Norwegian football, especially in the knockout rounds, so this is the third time it is the most important game,” added Solbakken. “I feel the players are in a relaxed but competitive mood.

“I think England has more pressure than us, but we also put pressure on our performance. When the game has started I don’t think the players think so much about the pressure when it’s eleven versus eleven.”