Belgium’s 2-1 quarterfinal loss to Spain on July 10 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup would have been painful enough on its own. What made it unbearable was the sequence of events that led to the decisive goal, a sequence that started with Garcia pulling Thibaut Courtois from the match.
The substitution heard round the world
Courtois, Belgium’s first-choice goalkeeper, reported quadriceps pain during the match. Garcia made the call to substitute him. Courtois himself later said he believed he could have continued playing.
The replacement goalkeeper’s error led directly to Spain’s winning goal, scored by Mikel Merino. Spain had opened scoring through Fabián Ruiz before Charles De Ketelaere equalized for Belgium. Instead, Belgium’s backup between the posts gave away the game.
Garcia’s record tells a more complicated story
