Thibaut Courtois says Belgium can beat Spain in their World Cup quarter-final, even if his team enters the match as the outsider.
Belgium and Spain are meeting in the quarter-finals for the second time at a World Cup, and the history between the sides gives the matchup an immediate edge. Belgium eliminated Spain on penalties after a 1-1 draw in their 1986 quarter-final meeting, while Spain won 2-1 in the 1990 group stage. This time, Belgium arrive with a more recent knockout pedigree, having beaten the United States 4-1 to reach the last eight after surviving an improbable comeback win over Senegal in the round of 16.
Courtois embraces the underdog role
Courtois was clear about how Belgium see the challenge. He called Spain a great team and one of the favorites to win the tournament, which is consistent with Opta's view of the title race. But he also said Belgium can win, stressing that football always leaves room for surprises. In his view, Belgium are outsiders against Spain, though that does not mean they have no chance.
He also pointed to a practical advantage: familiarity. Many Spain players are well known to Belgium because they play in Spain or in the Champions League. Even so, Courtois made the point that the match is against Spain as a national team, not against club sides such as Barça, City or Arsenal. In other words, Belgium know the names, but they still have to solve the collective problem in front of them.
A quarter-final test with recent history behind it
Belgium have reached this stage before, and that history matters. They lost 1-0 to Argentina in the 2014 quarter-finals, then responded by beating Brazil 2-1 in the 2018 quarter-finals. That gives this group a clearer sense of what a knockout-stage test looks like, even if Spain present a different challenge.
The numbers also show why Spain arrive with more expectation. Opta rates them among the favorites, while Belgium are being framed as the outsider. Spain have been creating chances at a high rate, and Belgium will need to manage that threat over 90 minutes in a game where margins are likely to be small.
For Belgium, the task is straightforward even if the path is not: stay organized, lean on Courtois' confidence, and try to turn an underdog label into another quarter-final upset.
