Spain vs. Belgium: Red Devils facing major Kevin De Bruyne decision for 2026 World Cup quarter-final

Ahead of Belgium's 2026 World Cup quarter-final against Spain, Sports Mole's Football Editor Matt Law discusses whether Kevin De Bruyne will come back into the Red Devils side.

Matt Law, Football Editor: "Will have to be a midfield reshuffle"

I think the expectation is that De Bruyne does come back into the side. There will have to be a midfield reshuffle with the Onana injury that was suffered in that game, the ACL, devastating for him, Aston Villa, and Belgium. 

Vanaken replaced him in that game, straight swap in midfield. It's a difficult one because there are pros and cons of both. 

They played so well without him, but was the argument that he's getting a bit of a rest and will now come back in? You wouldn't really rest a player for that. I appreciate he's aging now, but if you really wanted to start him in the last round then I think you would've started him. 

So that's one to watch in terms of coming into this game, especially against a Spain midfield that will keep the ball. They will retain possession, and De Bruyne will have to do a lot of off-the-ball work that his aging years may find difficult. 

Charles De Ketelaere started, as expected, with Lukaku coming off the bench again and finding the back of the net. If you've got a player who's your first substitute who scored 93 international goals, then you're probably doing something right. 

Lukaku at 93 international goals is just ridiculous. At the World Cup he's had his fitness problems, but he's been really good, and if he is to be the first port of call off the bench in this game, what a player to bring on and potentially upset that Spain defence. 

Belgium's first two performances were very iffy, unbeaten in the first two but just not convincing. Since then they're flying in terms of finding the back of the net. 

They're actually a really good watch. You don't fancy them to keep clean sheets, which would be my worry for them in this game. 

Debast was back on the bench last time out, the Sporting Lisbon centre-back who had terrible injury problems last season, knee injuries and hamstring injuries. 

Belgium took him to the tournament knowing it would be a big risk. He's not played this summer yet, but he was on the bench last time out. 

Can they find a way to get him into the team? He's such a big player for them in the middle of their defence. 

A lot of selection issues, De Bruyne, there's Debast. You can't see him starting. He's not played yet in this World Cup and he missed the end of last season with Sporting Lisbon. 

I think Belgium have done really well. I don't think a lot of us fancied them to get through the groups and maybe fall in the round of 32 or round of 16. 

But they're doing really well and they've got some really good players. There's a lot of quality in the final third. 

Tielemans is having a really good World Cup in the middle of the park, a fantastic player. I always liked him when he first came through, and through the latter stages of his career as well. 

I do think Belgium fall short here, but I don't think that should dampen what has been a really good World Cup for them from what was said pre-tournament.