Spain – Belgium

The Belgians won’t give the win to the favorite that easily.

The Belgian national team, inspired by the current World Cup, could easily produce a blockbuster. Even before reaching the quarterfinals, the path of Romelu Lukaku and his teammates was full of intriguing moments, highs and lows. What else could the team led by Rudi Garcia endure during a single World Cup — it's hard to imagine. At the same time, one of the World Cup favorites, whom fate drew the Belgians against in the quarterfinals, no longer seems so terrifying after the football-induced coma into which the Belgian squad sank in the Round of 16 and from which it emerged in the most extraordinary fashion. The Spanish national team was considered the main favorite of the World Cup before it began. Yet neither in the group stage nor in the knockout rounds did the Red Fury show anything particularly special. There was nothing that would allow us to say with confidence that they were a clear contender for the trophy. For now the Spaniards are simply playing well, simply in a workmanlike style they beat teams of different classes, but they have not shone with any real flair, as the French have. Bookmakers have named the Spaniards favorites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 1.62 on their victory. The Belgian national team began the group stage in a frighteningly similar fashion to the horror that they and their fans endured in Qatar. The matches against Egypt and Iran ended in draws, with Belgium only fully revealing themselves in the final group game against New Zealand. In the Round of 32, Belgium were 0-2 down to Senegal in the 84th minute and had created nothing in attack. From such a critical moment, Youri Tielemans and his teammates not only pulled through but managed to force the opponent to a penalty shootout. Already in the Round of 16, the Belgians looked the most confident in their own strength, which allowed them to defeat the United States 4-1. As if Garcia's charges had emerged from a crisis and timely reformed themselves to pursue the most ambitious goals. Undoubtedly, Spain possesses greater stability and is less prone to mood swings. However, the Red Fury has not yet found its best game, which allows Belgium at least to count on scoring goals during regulation time.