Lukaku channels Brazil 2018 vibes ahead of Spain quarter-final
Lukaku: This feels like Brazil 2018
Romelu Lukaku is not talking about going home. "Why would we think about going home?" he said ahead of the Spain quarter-final (6). He compared the mood to the 2018 win over Brazil. That one ended 2–1 to Belgium. "I feel similar vibes," Lukaku said (6). The match kicks off Friday at 9pm Belgian time (13).
Debast blocked by Sporting, Onana hurt
Zeno Debast will miss the quarter-final. Sporting Lisbon have blocked him from playing (1). Amadou Onana is also a doubt after missing training this week (5). Rudi Garcia will have to patch things together at the back.
Garcia: Everyone thinks we're out already
The coach is feeding off the underdog role. "Everyone sees us as eliminated. We believe in ourselves," Rudi Garcia said (9). He has already reinvented the team without Kevin De Bruyne as the focal point, and the 4–1 dismantling of the USA proved it works (2). De Bruyne is fit and available for this one (4).
Spain wary of a different Belgium
Spain's coach has told his players this will not be like the Portugal match. "Belgium will be completely different from Portugal," he said (8). The Spanish press is focused on one man: Thibaut Courtois. One outlet ran the cover line "As long as Courtois doesn't spoil the party" (4). The winner faces France in the semi-finals (14).
King Filip dines with the squad
King Filip met the Red Devils for dinner ahead of the quarter-final (7). It is the kind of gesture that reinforces the unity Garcia has built since the USA win. A team that was under pressure two weeks ago now looks light, defiant, and convinced it can go further (10).
Fan reactions
The USA match drew 45.1 million viewers in the United States across Fox and Telemundo, the most-watched soccer telecast in US history, edging past Mexico–England's 45 million from the night before. Belgian fans on Reddit have seized on the number with a mix of pride and gallows humour: one thread noting "millions and millions" of Americans watched your team knock out the hosts. Read the full thread here.
Sources
- 1. expressen.se — Zeno Debast stoppas av klubben – missar kvartsfinalen
- 2. theguardian.com — Belgium take strength from ‘millions and millions’ of new fans before Spain clash
- 4. hln.be — “Als Courtois het feestje maar niet verpest”: de covers van de Spaanse sportkranten aan vooravond van clash met Rode Duivels - De Bruyne fit
- 5. nieuwsblad.be — VIDEO. Het journaal van de Duivels: opvallende afwezige op (laatste?) training, Spanjaarden kijken vooral naar één Rode Duivel
- 6. nieuwsblad.be — Hoe Romelu Lukaku zelf een beetje perschef werd voor de match tegen Spanje: “Ik voel gelijkaardige vibes als tegen Brazilië in 2018”
- 7. nu.nl — Live WK | België waarschuwt Spanje, koning Filip dineert met Rode Duivels
- 8. nieuwsblad.be — Romelu Lukaku en Rudi Garcia spraken met de pers, Spaanse bondscoach: “België wordt helemaal anders dan Portugal”
- 9. nieuwsblad.be — Bondscoach Rudi Garcia: “Iedereen ziet ons als uitgeschakeld. Wij geloven in onszelf”
- 10. hln.be — “Hij moet als klein jongetje in ketel vol toverdrank gevallen zijn”: onze chef voetbal over ‘the curious case’ van Rudi Garcia
- 13. vi.nl — VI Live: Spanje en België strijden om plek in de halve finale
- 14. fussballnationalmannschaft.net — Fußball heute live: Wer spielt heute am Freitag 10.7. bei der WM 2026?