"Won't Sleep Well": Belgium Goalkeeper Blasted By Internet After World Cup Blunder vs Spain
Belgium's substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens made a costly error that led to Spain's winning goal in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final.
- Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens made a costly error that resulted in Spain's winning goal
- Lammens failed to properly collect a shot by Pau Cubarsi, leaving Mikel Merino to score Spain's winner
- "He will not sleep well tonight," said one among many critical social media posts
Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens made a disastrous error that resulted in his nation's elimination from FIFA World Cup 2026 after a 2-1 quarter-final defeat to Spain. Coming on as a substitute in the 70th minute after an injury to Thibaut Courtois, Lammens ended up spilling a shot by Pau Cubarsi, and Mikel Merino scored Spain's winning goal from the rebound. Lammens, who plays for Manchester United in the Premier League, received heavy criticism from a section of social media users after his blunder.
- IT WAS MANCHESTER UNITED GOALKEEPER SENNE LAMMENS WHO MADE THE HORRIBLE MISTAKE!
— The Touchline | (@TouchlineX) July 10, 2026
HE LET THE BALL GO WHICH CAUSED THE REBOUND FOR MERINO TO SCORE!
HE WILL NOT SLEEP WELL TONIGHT! pic.twitter.com/U2DXcYaAhe
Idk how this Lammens dude plays for United but that's up there with some of the worst GK cameos I've ever seen
— OGi (@BCNOgi) July 10, 2026
Thibaut Courtois consoling Senne Lammens after Spain's late winner...
— 433 (@433) July 10, 2026
Courtois left the pitch in tears after suffering an injury. Then, in the dying seconds, Spain won the game.
Heartbreak for all of Belgium... pic.twitter.com/natLX2IXpU
@SenneLammensx Keep your chin up.
— Anup Naik (@Anup_MUFC) July 10, 2026
Even the best GKs in the world have made mistakes and on grander stages than this.
You will come back stronger.
Oliver Kahn in the 2002 World Cup: One mistake can erase all your hard w... https://t.co/54YrYLbtcf via @YouTube
Spain vs Belgium, FIFA World Cup 2026: As it happened
Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute on a rebound yielded by backup Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens, and Spain advanced to the World Cup semifinals with a 2-1 victory on Friday.
Merino was the late hero for the second straight match for Spain, which will face tournament favorite France in the semifinals on Tuesday in the Dallas area.
"It will be a clash of giants," Spain coach Luis De La Fuente said through a translator.
Merino came on in the 86th minute and scored on his second touch of the match, charging into the box and pouncing after Lammens spilled a rebound of Pau Cubarsi's long shot.
The Arsenal forward also scored as a substitute early in injury time to secure Spain's 1-0 victory over Portugal in the round of 16. This second clutch goal against an upset-minded Belgium sent La Roja to the semifinals for the first time since they won the World Cup in 2010.
"I've done this again, and it's happened to me again, so it would seem that coincidence exists," a smiling Merino said. "If you're ready and you try, it can happen for you. I'm very, very pleased."
Lammens, the capable Manchester United keeper, was forced into the match in the 71st minute after longtime Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois left with an apparent thigh injury.
Courtois made four saves, but the Real Madrid keeper went down to the grass four minutes before his substitution. He received treatment during the hydration break, but he left the match in tears.
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