Mikel Merino’s dramatic 88th-minute winner against Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Friday night sent Spain into the World Cup semi-finals and simultaneously equaled Argentina’s record for the second-longest unbeaten run in men’s international football history.Spain’s 2-1 win over Belgium means they have now gone 36 consecutive matches without defeat, matching the run compiled by Argentina between 2019 and 2022, a streak which culminated in their World Cup triumph in Qatar. Only Italy’s extraordinary unbeaten streak of 37 matches between 2018 and 2021 stands ahead of Spain on the all-time list.Winning the record was still simple. Spain took the lead through Fabián Ruiz in the 30th minute, only to be denied by Charles De Ketelaere’s equalizer in the 41st minute, the first goal Spain had conceded in the entire 2026 World Cup, ending Unai Simón’s historic story. With Belgium pushing for a winner and Spain’s grip on the match slipping, it took a moment of individual brilliance from the most unlikely of sources.Merino, introduced as a substitute in the second half, relied on a shot by Pau Cubarsí spilled after the Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who had replaced the injured and tearful Thibaut Courtois in the 71st minute, could not keep clean. Merino ducked and buried the rebound. SoFi Stadium erupted.It was the second time this tournament that Merino had come off the bench to score a decisive late winner, having done exactly the same against Portugal in the Round of 16, heading home in stoppage time to send Cristiano Ronaldo home in tears.Spain now face France in the semi-final in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday, which is a heavyweight European clash that will decide a finalist. The other semi-final pits Argentina against England.Italy’s record 37 game unbeaten run is now just one game away. A win against France on Tuesday would see Spain stay at the top of that list with the Azzurri.