July 8 (Reuters) - Spain face Belgium on Friday in a World Cup quarter-final that pits one of the tournament's smoothest operators against a side emboldened by a thunderous 4-1 win over the United States that followed one of football's most bizarre political interventions.
Belgium's victory came after extraordinary drama when U.S. striker Folarin Balogun's one-match ban for a red card was suspended after President Donald Trump personally urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the case.
Rudi Garcia's Belgium answered with a four-goal thrashing, securing a place in the quarter-finals.
Now comes a rather different examination.
Spain are unbeaten in 35 matches, a run that has turned Luis de la Fuente's team from promising European champions into a team that exert confident control over their opponents.
Since their surprise penalty shootout exit against Morocco in the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar under Luis Enrique, Spain have been remodelled by De la Fuente, the former youth team coach who knows many of his current players from their formative years.
The result is a national side that often plays with the cohesion of a club team: disciplined, organised, balanced and difficult to break down.
Under De la Fuente, Spain won the Nations League in 2023, claimed a long-awaited fourth European Championship title in 2024 and reached another Nations League final the following year, losing on penalties to Portugal after a 0-0 draw.
Portugal, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, were also Spain's last victims in this World Cup, beaten 1-0 by a last-gasp goal that underlined one of their major strengths - their substitutes.
Mikel Merino scored the winner after coming off the bench, with fellow substitute Ferran Torres providing the assist only minutes after entering the match.
Spain's strength is not built around one obvious match-winner, but in collective depth. At Euro 2024, they scored 15 goals, with 10 different players finding the net -- a tournament record for the number of scorers in one team in a single edition.
Even teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, still regaining sharpness after a hamstring injury in April, has shown that short bursts of his invention are enough to disrupt defences and create space for teammates.
Belgium, meanwhile, must try to derail Spain without Amadou Onana, who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during the win over the United States.
The midfielder went off in the 21st minute after landing awkwardly, though he later joined the celebrations on crutches.
His absence leaves Garcia with a sizeable gap to fill against a Spain side who rarely need an invitation to take control.
However, Belgium have already shown they can rise to the challenge when facing adversity.
(Reporting by Fernando KallasEditing by Christian Radnedge)
