Spain Beat Belgium Late to Set Up World Cup Semi-Final Against France

What happened: Spain are into the World Cup semi-finals after beating Belgium, with Mikel Merino scoring the decisive goal in the 88th minute. BBC Football's source description identifies Merino as a substitute and says his late winner stunned Belgium, setting up Spain's semi-final against France.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhLHMcq5BtE

Tournament impact: The immediate consequence is clear: Spain advance, Belgium are out, and France are next. That is the entire tournament picture confirmed by the supplied story. No scoreline is provided in the source summary, so the key result detail to carry forward is the timing and significance of Merino's goal rather than any invented margin or match pattern.

Why it matters: An 88th-minute winner changes the emotional weight of a knockout match. For Spain, it turns survival into momentum. For Belgium, it leaves very little room for tactical revision after the fact because elimination came at the edge of full-time. In tournament terms, late goals often do more than settle a result: they define the narrative of a team as resilient, opportunistic, or ruthless under pressure.

What changed: Merino's role is the important detail. The BBC description calls him a substitute and says he emerged as Spain's hero yet again. That confirms Spain got decisive value from the bench at a moment when knockout matches often become narrow, tense, and resistant to clean control. Without adding unverified match detail, the safe tactical read is that Spain's depth mattered at the point when the game was closest to being decided by extra time or a late mistake.

Semi-final lens: Spain versus France now becomes the next major bracket event. The source does not give team news, form details, or a venue, so the useful takeaway is structural: Spain have reached the final four through a late knockout intervention, while France are the named opponent waiting in the semi-final. That creates a short turnaround in which Spain must convert the emotional lift of a dramatic finish into preparation for a heavyweight tie.

What to watch: Merino's status in the semi-final conversation is the obvious follow-up. A late substitute winner does not automatically mean a starting role next time, but it does force selection questions, especially if Spain need fresh legs or a trusted late-game option against France. Belgium's exit, meanwhile, shifts attention to what the late collapse or late concession means for their tournament review.

Confidence: Confirmed by the supplied BBC Football story: Spain beat Belgium, Mikel Merino scored as a substitute in the 88th minute, Belgium were eliminated, and Spain will face France in a World Cup semi-final. Not confirmed here: the final score, lineups, venue, tactical shape, injuries, disciplinary issues, or any quotes from players or coaches.