Belgium's World Cup Dream Dies in LA as Spain Show Winning Mentality

There is a particular kind of victory that defines tournament teams, the sort that is untidy, contested and ultimately claimed through sheer belief. Spain's 2-1 win over Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles felt like exactly that.

Belgium pushed Spain harder than the scoreline perhaps suggests, and for a spell it appeared the Belgians might find a way to force extra time. That they could not speaks to Spain's ability to manage a game even when it is not flowing freely for them.

For Belgium, the broader story is one of a golden generation that departs a major tournament without the ultimate prize. They were competitive here, and their supporters can reflect on a spirited effort, but competitive is rarely enough at a World Cup when the margins are this fine.

Spain, by contrast, will travel into the semi-finals buoyed by the knowledge that they can win when it matters, without necessarily being at their brilliant best. That is a quality that separates the pretenders from the genuine title contenders, and right now Spain look very much like the latter.