Portugal and Spain renew their rivalry on the world stage when they tussle in Texas in one of the most highly anticipated round of 16 matches at World Cup 2026.
The European rivals go head-to-head at 9pm (UK time) on Monday night, before co-hosts the United States bid to continue their dream run when they lock horns with Belgium at 1am on Tuesday morning.
Here are the key World Cup 2026 stats ahead of today’s two games.
Key stats for Portugal vs Spain and United States vs Belgium
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Portugal vs Spain
- Portugal key stat: Cristiano Ronaldo needs one more goal to draw level with Pele on 12 World Cup goals.
- Spain key stat: La Roja can equal their best ever unbeaten record of 35 matches (excluding penalty shoot-outs).
Eight years ago, Portugal and Spain served up a classic six-goal thriller in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, with neither side able to be separated in a 3-3 draw. Cristiano Ronaldo stole the headlines that night, completing his hat-trick with a dramatic late free-kick to rescue a point, but this time around, there must be a winner as the two Iberian rivals meet in the last 16.
Historically, Spain have held the upper hand in this fixture, winning six of the 12 competitive meetings and losing just once. However, Portugal did edge their neighbours on penalties in last year’s Nations League final after a 2-2 draw, a result that won’t officially count as a FIFA victory but did see them lift the trophy.
Ronaldo also found the back of the net in that final and finally broke his World Cup knockout stage hoodoo by scoring at the ninth attempt in Portugal’s dramatic round of 32 win over Croatia, which took his tally to three goals in this World Cup and 11 across all World Cups: that places him joint-9th on the all-time list, just one goal shy of Pele on 12 goals.
Ronaldo’s teammate Goncalo Ramos came off the bench to score a 94th minute winner in the 2-1 victory over Croatia, meaning he now remarkably averages a goal involvement every 37 minutes at the World Cup.
Should Portugal progress, it would mark the first time in 20 years they have won back-to-back World Cup knockout matches, dating back to the 2006 World Cup.
READ – Portugal vs Spain: predictions, best bets, odds and stats
Spain haven’t lost any of their last 34 matches in normal time or extra time, which consists of 25 wins and nine draws. If they avoid defeat in 120 minutes against Portugal they will match their best ever unbeaten record of 35 matches.
Continuing the unbeaten theme, Spain have yet to lose any of their 11 major tournament matches under their manager Luis de la Fuente, who led La Roja undefeated to Euro 2024 glory and has enjoyed a four game unbeaten start to the 2026 World Cup. The Spaniard could become just the third manager in history to go unbeaten in each of his first 12 matches across the World Cup and European Championship, after Aime Jacquet and Louis van Gaal.
Spain may have been held to a goalless draw by a spirited Cape Verde in their opening game of the tournament, but they have since gone on to claim three wins to nil against Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, and most recently Austria in the last-32, which was their first knockout stage win at the tournament since 2010.
In fact, Spain haven’t conceded in any of their last five World Cup games – including a goalless draw against Morocco in 2022 – meaning they now have the chance to create history by becoming the first country to keep six successive World Cup clean sheets.
At the other end of the pitch they have Mikel Oyarzabal who is their top scorer this tournament with four goals in four games. He’s now just one goal away from equalling Emilio Butragueno (1986) and David Villa (2010) for the most goals (5) scored for Spain at a single World Cup.
United States vs Belgium
- United States key stat: If the US win in normal/extra-time they will have more wins (4) at this World Cup than their previous four World Cups combined (3).
- Belgium key stat: The Red Devils are looking to beat the US for the seventh game in a succession, dating back to their one and only defeat in 1930.
The United States have come unstuck in the round of 16 in five of the six times they’ve reached this stage of the tournament, including in each of their last three appearances in 2022, 2014, and 2010. The only exception during this time is 2002 when they reached the quarter-finals, which is their best finish since they finished third in 1930.
If the US are victorious in normal or extra-time – they will have accumulated more wins (4) at this World Cup than their previous four World Cups combined (3).
Mauricio Pochettino’s entertainers have scored 10 goals across their opening four games, scoring 2+ goals in each, meaning they now have the chance to become the first host country since Brazil in 1950 to score at least two goals in their opening five games.
The US have been boosted by FIFA’s controversial decision to lift the suspension on Folarin Balogun after he – against Bosnia-Herzegovina – became only the fourth player to score a goal and be sent-off in a World Cup knockout stage match.
Balogun has three goals this tournament, and needs one more to overtake Landon Donovan (3 goals in 2010) as the highest-scoring American at a single World Cup.
READ – United States vs Belgium: predictions, best bets, odds and stats
Belgium conjured up one of the great World Cup comebacks against Senegal in the previous round, when they scored in the 86th and 89th minutes to take the game into extra-time, before Youri Tielemans coolly slotted home a controversial penalty in the 125th minute – the latest goal in World Cup history – to give his country a dramatic 3-2 win.
Belgium have now won 13 of their last 19 world Cup matches, losing only four times in their last 26 games at the tournament. The Red Devils, who finished third in 2018, are bidding to reach the quarter-finals for the third time in their last four appearances.
Belgium can draw on an excellent record against the US, who they’ve beaten in each of the last six meetings, including a 2-1 win at the 2014 edition. In fact, their only defeat came in the very first game between the sides, which they lost 3-0 at the 1930 World Cup.
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