Who will Spain face in quarter-final of FIFA World Cup 2026 after beating Portugal?

A later goal from Mikel Merino decided the fate of the game.

Portugal held Spain to a 0-0 draw for more than 90 minutes at the Dallas Stadium in the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, Luis de la Flente decided to bring in versatile Arsenal star Mikel Merino with a few minutes remaining on the clock.

The 30-year-old was brought in at Dani Olmo’s place in the 85th minute. Only after seven minutes, the Spanish midfielder got his name on the scoresheet by smashing the ball in the bottom-left corner, leaving Diogo Gomes speechless.

With the win, La Roja have maintained a clean sheet in five consecutive games. The European champions are marching forward in the tournament as one of the hot favourites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Who will Spain face next? Here’s what is on the table.

Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026 updated bracket after Portugal vs Spain in Round of 16

Who will Spain face in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final?

After a memorable victory over Portugal, La Roja will face the winner of the round-of-16 clash between Belgium and the USA.

Spain has scored nine goals in five games, playing technical football while maintaining efficiency and stability. And with wins over Uruguay and Portugal with an identical scoreline of 1-0, they are the likely candidates of their second FIFA World Cup title.

La Roja have faced Belgium twice in the FIFA World Cup earlier, in 1986 and 1990. Meanwhile, their only fixture against the USA in the summer competition came in 1950, when they defeated the co-hosts 3-2.

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