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World Cup: Spain 🇪🇸 vs Belgium 🇧🇪 will the game go to penalties? Our Prediction

Mambo football fans! The World Cup quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium is set for July 10 at 3:00 PM ET at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, and the big question on everyone's mind is whether this European heavyweight clash will go the distance to penalties.

Spain beat Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 with a stoppage-time winner from Mikel Merino, while Belgium secured a 4-1 victory against the USA to set up this quarterfinal showdown. Twende, let's break down whether this match will reach penalties.

The Head-to-Head History

These two teams have history at the World Cup, and it's relevant to this market. Spain and Belgium have faced each other twice in World Cup history, first meeting in the quarterfinals of Mexico 1986, where the match ended 1-1 and Belgium won 5-4 in the penalty shootout. At Italy 1990, they clashed in the group stage, with Spain winning 2-1.

Wazi, the penalty shootout connection is real, but that was 40 years ago. What matters more is how these teams perform under pressure now.

Spain's Penalty Shootout Nightmare

Here's where things get interesting for this market. Spain top the table for penalty shootout defeats at men's World Cups, with four. Spain were beaten by Belgium in the 1986 quarterfinals, South Korea in 2002, Russia in 2018, and Morocco in 2022.

The Iberians have lost four of their five shootouts in the competition, making them one of the worst teams in World Cup history from 12 yards. Spain kept a clean sheet for a sixth consecutive World Cup match against Portugal, showing their defensive strength, but their shootout record is genuinely poor.

Belgium's Perfect Shootout Record

Cheki this stat. Of the teams still standing at the World Cup, Belgium have the best win percentage thanks to victory in their only shootout, which was at the World Cup, against Spain, in 1986. Belgium beat Spain 5-4 on penalties in the 1986 quarterfinals, becoming the first side in World Cup history to score a perfect five from five in a shootout.

That's a small sample size, but Belgium have never lost a World Cup penalty shootout. More recently, Belgium's Youri Tielemans scored a game-winning penalty kick in extra time against Senegal earlier in this tournament, showing composure under pressure.

Recent Tournament Form

Spain arrived at this stage looking like a team that remembered it used to be very good at this, with group stage performances that were composed and clinical. Spain thoroughly dominated Portugal but couldn't break through until Mikel Merino slipped one in during stoppage time.

Belgium arrived in the knockout rounds on the back of defensive resilience, with the Red Devils conceding sparingly and built around a compact defensive structure. Their 4-1 win over the USA showed they can also attack with ruthlessness.

Will It Go to Penalties?

Here's our take for Kenyan traders. The tension in this fixture is what happens when Spain's possession-based approach runs into Belgium's willingness to defend deep and absorb pressure, with Belgium structured to make Spain's rhythm feel pointless by denying space.

Both teams have shown they can grind out results. Spain's last two knockout wins came 1-0, while Belgium have been compact and organized. This sets up perfectly for a tight match that could extend beyond 90 minutes.

However, matches going all the way to penalties remain relatively rare in World Cup knockout stages. Most tight games are decided in regulation or extra time, not shootouts. Spain will want to avoid penalties given their terrible record, while Belgium will fancy their chances if it goes to spot kicks.

Our prediction? NO, this match won't go to penalties. We expect a winner to emerge within 120 minutes, likely in extra time. Spain have too much quality in possession, and Belgium have the attacking threat to punish any Spanish mistakes. One moment of brilliance should decide this before penalties become necessary.

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