Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia says his side is ready to defy expectations when they face Spain in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Spain head into Friday’s showdown in Los Angeles as favourites after an impressive run that has seen the European champions keep a clean sheet throughout the tournament.
Despite the challenge ahead, Garcia believes Belgium have what it takes to secure a place in the semi-finals.
Belgium embracing underdog status
Speaking ahead of the match, Garcia admitted that many football fans expect Belgium’s World Cup journey to end against Spain.
However, he insisted his players remain confident and are determined to produce a memorable performance.
According to the Belgian coach, the team is focused on proving doubters wrong by delivering a disciplined display against one of the tournament’s strongest sides.
Impressive attacking numbers boost confidence
Belgium have endured a mixed campaign so far, narrowly finishing top of their group after draws against Egypt and Iran before edging Senegal to qualify for the knockout stage.
They then produced one of their best performances of the tournament by defeating co-hosts United States 4-1 in the Round of 16.
Garcia pointed out that Belgium have scored 13 goals at the World Cup, making them one of the competition’s most productive attacking teams behind only France and Argentina.
He also noted that Belgium have registered 107 shots during the tournament, highlighting the side’s attacking threat.
Lukaku calls for perfect performance
Veteran striker Romelu Lukaku echoed his manager’s confidence ahead of the quarter-final clash.
The experienced forward said Belgium did not reach the last eight simply to make up the numbers.
Lukaku believes the squad possesses enough quality to compete with Spain but stressed that his teammates must produce their best display of the tournament to progress.