Pre-matchFriday, July 10

La Roja's Golden Machine Rolls Into LA — And Belgium's Engine Is Already Busted

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Spain arrive at SoFi Stadium unbeaten and unscored-upon across five World Cup games; Belgium arrive buzzing from a 4-1 dismantling of the USA but bleeding in midfield after Amadou Onana's tournament-ending ACL tear.

A staggering 47 of 48 pickers backed Spain — and for once, the pool and the bookies are reading from exactly the same script, with Spain priced at -160 on the 90-minute moneyline per DraftKings lines tracked by Vegas Insider.

What's at Stake

A semi-final berth, simple and enormous — and for Belgium's golden generation, almost certainly the last act on the biggest stage. Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois: this is their final World Cup, and a place in the last four is all that stands between legacy and farewell. Spain, meanwhile, are chasing only their second world title since South Africa 2010, and they have been imperious getting here — three wins from three in regulation, 3-0 over Austria, 1-0 over Portugal on a last-gasp Mikel Merino thunderbolt in Dallas — without conceding a single goal across the entire tournament. Five games. Zero against. That is not a footnote; that is a statement of intent. The winner faces the survivor of France vs Morocco in the semis.

Team News & Expected Lineups

Luis de la Fuente is expected to name the same XI that dispatched Portugal: Unai Simón; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Baena, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal; Oyarzabal. Merino — the hero of Dallas — drops back to a bench so deep it borders on unfair. Nico Williams (adductor) and Yeremy Pino (shoulder), both hurt against Uruguay, are again expected to be managed carefully per the World Cup injury tracker at Sports Injury Central; neither has been needed. No suspensions, no fresh alarms — Spain arrive fully loaded. Belgium, on the other hand, are walking wounded in the worst possible place. Amadou Onana, their 24-year-old midfield enforcer, tore his ACL in the 21st minute of the USA win and is done, confirmed by Belgium team doctor Brahim Hacene in a statement reported by ESPN. The likely shape for Rudi Garcia: Courtois; Castagne, Mechele, Theate, De Cuyper; Vanaken, Tielemans; Lukebakio, De Bruyne, Trossard; De Ketelaere — with the genuine question, flagged by Sports Mole, of whether De Bruyne's aging legs can handle the brutal off-the-ball workload Spain demand. Lukaku, 93 international goals and counting, waits on the bench like a loaded weapon.

The Key Matchup: Lamine Yamal vs Maxim De Cuyper

Every sensible preview circles Rodri and Pedri as the midfield cornerstone — and with Onana gone, Belgium's ability to contest that battle has just collapsed further. But the duel that could actually break this game open is eighteen-year-old Lamine Yamal against De Cuyper on Belgium's left. The Barça starlet has been electric in California, and De Cuyper — fine going forward for Brighton, still finding his defensive ceiling at international level — is the softest link in the Red Devils' back line. Spain tore Portugal apart through Yamal's corridor in the first half of their last-sixteen tie. If he catches fire under the SoFi lights on Friday evening, this could feel like a very long night indeed for a Belgian defence navigating it without their defensive midfielder.

The Odds — and the Pool's Call

Per Vegas Insider tracking DraftKings lines, Spain open at -160 on the 90-minute moneyline (Belgium +450, Draw +290); to advance outright, Spain are -320 against Belgium's +245. European books tracked by worldcup-odds.com show Spain at 1.62, Belgium 5.50, Draw 4.00 — clear, comfortable favourites, and that is before the Onana news was fully priced in. The pool has responded with near-total unanimity: 47 of 48 pickers backed Spain, with the favourite scorelines being 2-1 Spain (five picks) and 2-0 Spain (four picks). The one soul who backed Belgium deserves a standing ovation for sheer audacity — and possibly an appointment with their optometrist. The market agrees completely here, which means the 47 of you who ticked La Roja have out-thought no-one — because the obvious answer might simply be the right one. Spain haven't conceded in five games, Belgium are missing their midfield engine before a ball is kicked, and a teenage superstar is purring at the peak of his powers. Enjoy your Friday evening.

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