Charles De Ketelaere yanked Belgium level against Spain on Friday, rising above Pau Cubarsí for a diving header that erased Spain’s clean sheet and turned the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal into a fight.
The goal landed in the 41st minute, just 10 minutes after Fabián Ruiz had put Spain ahead, and it ended a run the Spanish had carried through five matches without conceding.
De Ketelaere’s Header Ends Spain’s Shutout Streak
Belgium had barely threatened before the equalizer. Timothy Castagne delivered the cross that De Ketelaere met with a header, according to NBC News, beating Cubarsí to the ball and tucking it inside the post with no chance for Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon to react. It stood as Spain’s first goal allowed at the tournament, a streak that had carried the Spanish into the quarterfinal as the last unbeaten defense left in the field.
The finish also extended a hot stretch for De Ketelaere, who scored twice in Belgium’s round of 16 win over the United States before adding Friday’s header against Spain. That represents his third goal in two games, a surge that stands out against a Serie A season with Atalanta in which he managed only three goals in 31 appearances. The 25-year-old was deployed as a makeshift striker for Belgium at the World Cup, and his aerial ability has repeatedly punished opponents caught defending set pieces and crosses.
De Ketelaere’s Path From Club Brugge to Belgium Attack
De Ketelaere came up through Club Brugge’s academy in his hometown, working his way into the first team and helping the Belgian club win three straight domestic league titles before Serie A came calling. AC Milan paid roughly $40 million to sign the attacking midfielder in 2022, according to Yahoo Sports, but the move produced a difficult debut season in Italy. De Ketelaere failed to score in Serie A that year and lost his grip on a regular starting role.
A move to Atalanta reset his career. He arrived on loan before the transfer became permanent, and the change of scenery unlocked the attacking form that had made him a hot commodity out of Belgium in the first place. De Ketelaere finished his first season in Bergamo with 14 goals and 11 assists across all competitions, and he helped Atalanta lift the UEFA Europa League title in 2024, a run that included a strong showing in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.
The turnaround in Italy restored De Ketelaere’s standing on the international stage as well. He made his senior debut for Belgium in 2020 and has since become a fixture in Rudi Garcia’s attack alongside veterans Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, with his height and aerial threat giving the Belgians a different look than the pace-driven approach favored by wingers Jérémy Doku and Leandro Trossard.
Friday’s World Cup quarterfinal marked De Ketelaere’s second appearance at the tournament after representing Belgium in 2022, and his equalizer against Spain kept the Red Devils’ hopes of reaching a semifinal against France very much alive. Belgium entered the match already missing captain Youri Tielemans, who went down with a hamstring injury during warmups and was replaced by Hans Vanaken, leaving De Ketelaere and the rest of the attack to carry the response against a Spanish side that had not trailed at any point in the tournament until Friday.
Who Is Charles De Ketelaere? Belgium Star Ends Spain’s World Cup Shutout