King Philippe Urges Belgium to Beat Spain Before 3 p.m. ET Quarterfinal

Q: King Philippe demanded a victory. Can Belgium's stars finally defeat Spain's record-setting defense in today's World Cup quarterfinal?

Belgium can beat Spain, but the evidence says it is more likely to be a narrow upset than an expected result. King Philippe did explicitly raise the stakes, telling the Red Devils, “You must win,” during his hotel visit before the quarterfinal. But Belgium are facing the tournament’s toughest defense. Spain have not conceded a goal in this World Cup, and goalkeeper Unai Simón’s 609-minute shutout streak is a tournament record. Spain’s back line has been protected by a collective press and possession game that has limited opponents to very little. Belgium do have the attacking talent to trouble Spain more than most teams. Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku and Romelu Lukaku give coach Rudi Garcia elite weapons, and Belgium arrive with momentum after a 4-1 win over the United States and a comeback victory over Senegal. Garcia has also said Belgium are ready to “break statistics and score,” while Courtois could be decisive if the match goes to penalties. Still, the matchup favors Spain. Belgium’s defense has looked less secure, and history is against them: Spain have won all five meetings this century, and Belgium have not beaten Spain in a competitive match since the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal. Analysts and betting markets also lean clearly toward Spain. So Belgium’s stars can finally do it, especially if De Bruyne finds space and Lukaku makes an impact, but they will need an almost flawless performance to break down Spain’s record-setting defense.

Q: Spain has dominated Belgium for over 20 years. Is a royal visit the key to finally breaking the curse today?

No. King Philippe’s visit is a morale boost, not the decisive factor in whether Belgium can finally beat Spain. The history is daunting for Belgium. Spain has won all five meetings between the teams in the 21st century, and Belgium has not beaten Spain since the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals. Spain also arrives in stronger recent form, with four straight wins without conceding at this World Cup and goalkeeper Unai Simón on a long shutout run. What the royal visit does provide is symbolism and confidence. Philippe met the squad at their hotel, joined them for dinner, posed for a team photo, and told them plainly: “You must win.” He is also expected to attend the match in person. That adds emotional support, but it does not change the tactical reality. Belgium’s real path to ending the streak lies on the field. Rudi Garcia’s side has enough quality to trouble Spain, especially through Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku, Thibaut Courtois and Romelu Lukaku, whose impact off the bench can change games. Analysts see possible openings if Belgium can exploit Spain’s high defensive line, and Courtois could give them an edge if the match goes to penalties. So the “curse” will not be broken by royalty alone. If Belgium does it today, it will be because its experienced core executes better, defends more reliably, and takes the few chances Spain is likely to allow.

3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jul 10

King Philippe visited Belgium’s team hotel on Thursday evening, joining the Red Devils for dinner and a team selfie less than 24 hours before Friday’s World Cup quarterfinal against Spain.
One day before the 3 p.m. ET kickoff, Philippe told players, “You must win,” after saying he and his daughter had watched Belgium play at 2 a.m. earlier in the tournament.
Coach Rudi Garcia appeared in the selfie, and soccer federation chief Pascale Van Damme presented the king with a signed Belgium shirt during the visit.
Philippe’s appearance adds to a growing royal presence at the tournament, with Spain’s King Felipe VI and Dutch and Norwegian royals also attending matches.
The winner of Belgium-Spain advances to a semifinal against France, while political leaders have been more cautious about attending after criticism of some taxpayer-funded trips.