Youri Tielemans has been impressive for Belgium at the World Cup, and winning fouls is a consistent part of his game.

I backed this selection regularly during the 25/26 campaign. Tielemans played for an Aston Villa side that won more fouls than any other side in the Premier League, and he contributed to that status, winning 41 fouls across his 21 starts (1.98 per 90).

He’s been fouled 10 times across his five starts at the World Cup (1.89 per 90) and now lines up against an aggressive Spanish side who look to win the ball back as quickly as possible when out of possession.

Luis de la Fuente’s side have committed 8+ fouls in all five of their matches, registering tallies of 13 and 14 fouls committed against Uruguay and Portugal. There should be plenty of opportunities for Tielemans to win fouls, especially given that he’s playing in an advanced role which puts him directly against Rodri.

Unai Simon is yet to concede a goal at the World Cup and has made at least one save in every game.

He still really hasn’t been that busy, the two saves that Portugal drew from him in the last round was the most action he’s had to contend with at the World Cup, but I do think Belgium have enough attacking threats to challenge the keeper more here.

Belgium are a very positive side, we saw their energy in beating USA 4-1 last time out - a game that saw them register seven shots on target and test the keeper on three occasions.

Only Argentina and France (14) have scored more goals than Belgium (13) at the World Cup, with Rudi Garcia’s side also sitting level with England and Argentina for shots on target per game (6.40).

Belgium have drawn 2+ saves from the opposition keeper in all five of their World Cup matches, drawing 3+ saves in three of those games.

Spain are averaging 7.50 corners per game at the World Cup and have won 6+ corners in all five of their matches.

There aren’t many sides at the World Cup that can control games like Spain, they really suffocate opponents, which is supported by the fact that Luis de la Fuente’s side have had more possession (65.6%) and made the 2nd-most passes (598.4 per game) in the tournament. 

Spain aren’t passive with this possession either, Luis de la Fuente has combined Spain’s DNA of keeping the ball with a vertical style of play, which is far more effective when it comes to Spain generating a stream of chances in games.

Spain were just as dominant with corners during qualifying, averaging 9.84 per game and winning 4+ corners in all six of their matches.

Spain have been so impressive so far, and it’s hard to make a case for Belgium in this one given how dominant Luis de la Fuente’s side have been.

Spain are yet to even concede a goal at the World Cup across five matches and have conceded an xG of just 1.50 across those games. That’s a tally that most sides would concede in a single match, so it’s a seriously impressive defensive record.

They also have near complete control in the majority of their matches. No side can keep the ball like Spain, so most of their opponents end up chasing shadows, which could end up being what happens to Belgium here.

Belgium have been pretty impressive in the knockout stages so far, beating Senegal and USA to set up this tie - but there have been gaps in their displays too, and a side like Spain will take advantage of those shortcomings.

Mikel Oyarzabal is the perfect striker for this Spain side and should have really found the back of the net against Portugal last time out, having had the most touches in the opposition box of any player and missing a golden opportunity early on.

He’s scored four goals across his five starts at the World Cup. The reason he works so well for Spain is due to his really clever movement; he doesn’t actually stay in that central striker role that much - dropping deeper and filling in out wide at times to give Spain a really fluid feel across their frontline.

He’s still an exceptional finisher despite not being a conventional striker; four of his nine shots on target at the World Cup have ended up in the back of the net. This Belgium backline can easily be stretched by Oyarzabal and the other Spain forwards; they've only kept one clean sheet across their five matches at the World Cup.

Nicolas Raskin has come into the starting XI for the last two games for Belgium and provided Rudi Garcia’s side with something they’d been missing a bit in the games prior. 

He really impressed against the USA last time out, registering an assist as Belgium came away 4-1 winners. He was very fortunate to avoid a card in that game, committing three fouls, and he’s incredibly short to commit a few more fouls in this game (1.33). 

Raskin is no stranger to a caution, having picked up seven cards across his 31 starts for Rangers during the 25/26 Scottish Premiership campaign. He also collected one card across six starts for Belgium during qualifying; I think he’ll struggle with the rotations of this Spanish midfield that keep the ball better than any other international side.

This is a nice price for Maxim De Cuyper to register a shot on target. 

The left back is very forward-thinking and often pushes on into advanced positions, taking nine shots across his four starts (2.12 per 90), seeing six of those attempts find the target (1.41 per 90).

Five of his nine shots and two of his six shots on target have come from outside the box, so he’s not afraid to take aim from distance when there may be better options available.

He’s also got a decent strike from free kicks, and may be given that duty here following Kevin De Bruyne’s exclusion from the starting XI that beat USA 4-1 last time out.

De Cuyper registered four goal contributions across six starts for Belgium during qualifying, taking 11 shots across those games (2.36 per 90), seeing five of those efforts find the target (1.07 per 90).

Alex Baena has emerged as a really effective player for Spain at this World Cup, filling in for the injured Nico Williams, who was so effective for Spain at the most recent European Championship.

Baena had three shots against Portugal last time out, seeing two of those efforts find the target. He’s taken eight shots at the World Cup overall (2.64 per 90), seeing four of those find the target (1.32 per 90).

I think Baena is benefiting from a lot of the focus being on Lamine Yamal on the opposite flank. This is obviously with good reason, but the attention on Yamal means that Baena and Oyarzabal get real space to add the finishing touch to Spain’s attacking moves.

This is a really nice price, and I’d consider taking it as a single. Tielemans is such a consistent player when it comes to winning fouls and has been playing a bit higher up for his nation, which is ideal as it pits him up against Rodri. 

Tielemans has been fouled in all five of his World Cup matches so far, winning 2+ fouls in four of those games. This works out to an average of 1.89 fouls won per 90 and makes him a good candidate to draw at least two fouls here.

Tielemans averaged 1.88 fouls won per 90 across four starts for Belgium during qualifying, as well as 1.98 fouls won per 90 for Aston Villa in the most recent Premier League campaign. His main opponent, Rodri, has committed five fouls across his five starts at the World Cup (1.01 per 90). 

Brandon Mechele is a very aggressive centre back and has committed a foul in all five of his World Cup appearances, committing 2+ fouls in three of those games.

This takes his total tally to eight fouls committed (1.50 per 90), and he’ll now have to deal with a fluid Spain frontline who are bound to drag him into areas where he doesn’t really feel that comfortable.

We saw how Mechele can struggle with a more mobile forward in Belgium’s 3-2 comeback win over Senegal in the Round of 32. He faced up against Ismaila Sarr on that occasion, who caused him real issues, tempting Mechele into committing two fouls.

It’s hard to believe that Pau Cubarsi is 19 years old; he plays like a veteran and has played a big part in Spain boasting the best defence at the World Cup, having conceded an xG of just 1.50 across their five matches.

Cubarsi was showing this maturity for Barcelona last season, but does have a foul in him, having committed a foul in each of his last three matches at the World Cup. Cubarsi is used to playing as part of a high line, doing so regularly for Barcelona under Hansi Flick, but playing in this way often does mean that you have to commit fouls to stop quick counter-attacks.

His main opponent here is likely to be Charles De Ketelaere, who has been fouled in three of his four World Cup appearances and is as short as 1.20 to be hauled down at least once here. 

Lamine Yamal had two shots on target against Portugal last time out, building on the four shots on target he managed against Austria in the Round of 32.

He had the most touches in the opposition box of any player on the pitch in both of those matches and is such a threat to every backline.

It’s almost impossible to stop Yamal taking shots and creating chances, even if you double up on the winger, he is very hard to stop and usually finds a path through to goal.

Yamal has taken 17 shots at the World Cup overall (4.86 per 90), seeing eight of those efforts find the target (2.29 per 90).