Romelu Lukaku and the Belgium national team are coming off a 4-1 win over the USMNT on Monday, July 6. Forward Charles De Ketelaere scored two goals and had an assist, midfielder Hans Vanaken had a goal and an assist, and Lukaku also scored a goal against the United States.
Now, Belgium will face the No. 2-ranked men's national team in the FIFA Men's World Ranking, Spain. Forward Mikel Oyarzabal leads the team with four goals scored in the tournament, with superstar 18-year-old Lamine Yamal always a threat to score. The main advantage for Spain remains its stout defense, led by defender Aymeric Laporte. Goalkeeper Unai Simón has yet to allow a goal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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With opposing stars like midfielder Pedri and defenders Pau Cubarsí and Marc Cucurella, Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia will have to come up with an excellent game plan for the quarterfinal matchup. In order for that to happen, the team will need to practice ahead of the match, and it was recently revealed that the Belgium national team is displeased with the training pitch it was assigned.
The Belgium national team was scheduled to train at the Loyola Marymount University training pitch but arrived at a field that "did not meet the minimum standards required." On Wednesday, GiveMeSport's Ben Jacobs reported that the Royal Belgian Football Association requested FIFA relocate the team to the LA Galaxy training center at Dignity Health Sports Park on the campus of California State University.
"BREAKING: Belgium have asked FIFA to relocate their training centre," Jacobs wrote on X. "To LA Galaxy ahead of their World Cup quarter-final with Spain. The RBFA say the training pitch at Loyola Marymount University 'did not meet the minimum standards required.'"
Spain will face Belgium at SoFi Stadium on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.
