Belgium’s distinguished generation of footballers made a commendable exit in their North American farewell, demonstrating resilience against Spain in the quarter-finals. Under the guidance of Rudi Garcia, the team rebounded from a challenging group stage, only to face adversity as vital veterans departed due to injury.
In the lead-up to the match, Garcia encountered difficulties in finalizing his lineup. Amadou Onana arrived at the stadium on crutches, having torn his anterior cruciate ligament during the last-16 victory over the USA. Zeno Debast was left out as Belgium and Sporting could not agree on his fitness status, having only appeared on the bench once throughout the summer. Just before kickoff, the situation worsened when Youri Tielemans was ruled out after sustaining an injury during warm-ups.
Jérémy Doku made his return to the squad and appeared much more dynamic than in previous matches. The winger embraced his duel with Pedro Porro, exploiting spaces between the right-back and Lamine Yamal, skillfully maneuvering into channels to disrupt Spain’s midfield.
However, his aggressiveness came at a cost when Spain countered. With Maxim De Cuyper closely marking Yamal, Doku struggled to track Porro, who was poised to deliver a cross following a hydration break. Shortly after, Fábian Ruiz found the net, putting Spain ahead.
Spain began to dominate possession, deftly bypassing eager Belgian defenders, yet Belgium refused to be mere spectators in the match.
After scoring twice in the last round, Charles De Ketelaere showcased his growth from training alongside Romelu Lukaku. In the 39th minute, the Atalanta forward was brought down as Aymeric Laporte attempted to disrupt a throw-in near Belgium’s attacking third. Moments later, the ball found its way back to Belgium’s right flank, where De Bruyne delivered a pass to Timothy Castagne. The right-back sent a cross into the box, allowing De Ketelaere to outmaneuver Pau Cabarsí and head home an equalizer, marking Belgium’s first shot on target.
While Spain quickly regained control, Belgium found opportunities through Doku’s dribbling. Although the Manchester City winger seemed affected by a prior respiratory illness, his efforts opened pathways for De Cuyper and other midfielders. Belgium nearly scored again as Doku combined with De Bruyne, but a deflected shot reached De Cuyper, who failed to convert.
Garcia’s side displayed far more determination than the team that exited in the group stage of the last World Cup and the last 16 of Euro 2024. Leandro Trossard was substituted after an hour of ineffective play, making way for Lukaku as De Ketelaere shifted to the flank. Axel Witsel joined the fray simultaneously, bringing all four veterans from the 2014 World Cup squad onto the pitch with half an hour remaining.
Belgium worked hard to close any gaps in their defense, but gradually the experienced players began to show signs of fatigue. Thibaut Courtois remained crucial, yet a save just before the second-half hydration break found him nursing his left hip on the ground. After attempting to continue, he was forced to leave the match in the 71st minute, leaving him in tears as fans from both sides rose to applaud a modern footballing great. Senne Lammens took over in goal.
Kevin De Bruyne also struggled with fitness issues, exiting after an ambitious lob attempt in the 80th minute. He received a yellow card shortly after for a careless challenge on Ferran Torres, prompting Garcia to utilize his final substitution to replace the veteran before Spain could exploit his compromised state further.
Ultimately, Lammens was unable to secure the result. Cubarsí unleashed a long-range effort that Lammens failed to gather cleanly, allowing Mikel Merino to pounce on the loose ball and score, propelling Spain to their first semi-final since 2010.
While Courtois may still feature in the next World Cup as an elder statesman, this tournament likely marks the end for several key members of Belgium’s most talented generation. The old guard fought valiantly, presenting a formidable challenge to the European champions until the final whistle. Although this outcome does little to quell discussions around prior underperformance in tournaments, Garcia’s squad can take pride in their effort until the very end.
