Belgium exit World Cup in painful 2-1 quarterfinal loss to Spain: Witsel announces retirement, injuries mount
In Los Angeles, Belgium fell 2-1 to Spain, with Courtois, Tielemans, and De Bruyne all sidelined; Axel Witsel confirmed it was his last World Cup match.
A bruising quarterfinal in Los Angeles ended Belgium's 2026 World Cup campaign as Spain edged a 2-1 victory on 10 July, leaving the Red Devils to count the cost of injuries, missed chances, and a farewell from a veteran midfielder.
Injury chaos disrupts Belgium's start
Before the first whistle, captain Youri Tielemans was ruled out after a warm-up injury. Then goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was forced off during the match, and Kevin De Bruyne later succumbed to cramps. Tielemans reflected, "When the body says stop you can't force it. We saw a lot of players were tired and exhausted. It didn't work for us today, but those who were there gave everything."
Timothy Castagne underlined the impact: "Youri is our captain and the master of midfield. He was missing in our control."
- Youri Tielemans sustains injury, ruled out of the match.
- Thibaut Courtois leaves the pitch injured.
- Belgium scores to level the match.
- Kevin De Bruyne forced off with cramps.
- Spain scores a second goal to take the lead.
- Belgium eliminated 2-1 in the quarterfinals.
A valiant fight and a bitter ending
Despite the setbacks, Belgium held firm, managed an equaliser, and even made Spain doubt. Castagne admitted, "We couldn't get out of their press; at times we weren't moving enough, and playing long to Charles De Ketelaere wasn't always easy for him." RTBF pundit Joachim Mununga described the feeling as bitter: "It's hard to swallow, because this Spain side was beatable. There are details we didn't manage well." A possible handball by Spain went unpunished, with podcast host Nathan calling the loss heartbreaking, echoing the tearful exit of Courtois.
Witsel bows out, Garcia sees growth
Axel Witsel, making his first appearance of the tournament, announced: "Yes, this was my last World Cup. That's why I'm even sadder." Coach Rudi Garcia insisted the team had progressed. "We looked Spain in the eyes. They doubted, especially when we equalised. Big matches are decided on details. We have to learn from this, especially the younger players," he said, adding that the side had learned to suffer and defend.
Pride amid the pain
Tielemans, speaking with the armband still visible, said, "I'm proud. Very proud of the team. I hope the country is proud of us too. We left nothing on the pitch." Garcia echoed that sentiment, hoping Belgium had made its fans dream. Castagne noted the squad had shown character throughout the tournament, and while immediate thoughts would be negative, the beautiful memories would remain.
