sports

Spain vs Belgium: Echoes of 1986 Quarter-final Heartbreak

Published July 9, 2026 · Updated July 9, 2026 · El País

Spain faces Belgium in the World Cup quarter-finals tomorrow, revisiting a painful memory from 1986 when they lost on penalties. Luis de la Fuente's side arrives as favorites, mirroring the confidence of the 1984 Euro finalists.

Forty years after a heartbreaking penalty miss by Eloy denied Spain in Mexico, the Roja faces Belgium again in the quarter-finals. The current squad, led by Luis de la Fuente, aims to avoid a similar fate, riding the momentum of their Euro 2024 triumph. xsportfeed.life

Just as Maradona loomed large in 1986, Lionel Messi's potential presence in the final looms over this tournament, adding weight to the high expectations surrounding de la Fuente's team.

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