Thibaut Courtois faced a heartbreaking exit from the World Cup quarter-final against Spain after sustaining a leg injury in the 70th minute. The emotional Real Madrid goalkeeper left the field in tears, making way for Senne Lammens of Manchester United, who was making his World Cup debut.

Replacing Courtois proved to be costly for Belgium, as Lammens made a crucial mistake late in the match. In the 88th minute, he mishandled a long-range shot from Pau Cubarsi, allowing Mikel Merino to score the decisive goal for Spain, marking his second late winner in consecutive knockout games.

• Key Moments:
  • 70th Minute: Courtois exits due to injury.
  • 88th Minute: Lammens' error leads to Spain's winning goal.

Commentator Danny Murphy remarked, “Lammens has been thrown on late in the game and it is the first thing he has really had to do.” Courtois, visibly upset, watched as his team faced the consequences of the unexpected change.

The match was further complicated for Belgium when Youri Tielemans suffered a hamstring injury during warm-ups, leading to a last-minute substitution with Hans Vanaken stepping in. Additionally, Kevin De Bruyne was forced to leave the pitch due to cramp just before the end, adding to Belgium’s woes.

Despite a spirited performance and a well-deserved equalizer from Charles De Ketalaere, Belgium’s World Cup journey ended in Los Angeles as Spain advanced to face France in the semi-finals.