Garcia defends Belgium after Spain quarter-final exit

Rudi Garcia defended Belgium’s display after a 2-1 defeat to Spain sent them out of the 2026 World Cup in the quarter-finals.

The Belgium coach said his side played well but paid for two mistakes in a match decided by fine margins. He said games at that level can turn on a single error, and Belgium made two.

Garcia also pointed to problems before and during the match. Youri Tielemans was injured just before kick-off, Thibaut Courtois picked up an injury during the game and Kevin De Bruyne was unable to finish it.

He said those setbacks affected the team’s flow, but would not excuse the result. Garcia added that Belgium had given everything and matched one of the world’s best sides, but the difference came down to small details and the errors that proved decisive.