EV Eagle selects four best betting tips for Friday's second quarter final between Spain and Belgium.
Spain vs BelgiumSee All Odds
Spain and Belgium meet in a highly anticipated World Cup quarter-final clash, with two of Europe’s most talented squads battling for a place in the final four.
Spain have impressed throughout the tournament with their trademark possession-based style, combining technical quality with a more direct attacking approach under their current generation of players. They booked their place in the quarter-finals after a convincing victory over Portugal, while Belgium produced one of the standout performances of the knockout stages by defeating the United States 4-1.
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Value Bets, our Positive EV Tool available for Oddschecker+ subscribers, leverages advanced AI to perform 100 million projections each week and monitors 125 million live price changes daily. This enables it to identify bets that have a higher probability of winning than what the lines suggest. EV Eagle has selected gour top betting angles for France vs Morocco.
TIP 1: Lamine Yamal - Anytime Goalscorer - 1pt
Best odds of 15/8 at AK Bets while publishing.
Lamine Yamal has found the net just once at this World Cup, scoring Spain’s opening goal against Saudi Arabia, but the teenage winger will be eager to improve his attacking return as the tournament reaches its decisive stages.
The Barcelona star has still shown plenty of attacking intent, but his underlying numbers suggest he has not been as clinical or as involved in dangerous areas as he would have liked. Yamal has registered four shots on target from outside the box, which is actually more than his three efforts on target from inside the area. While his long-range threat remains a major weapon, Spain will be hoping he can become more influential closer to goal.
The youngster has also missed just one big chance during the tournament, suggesting that he has not consistently found himself in high-quality scoring positions. However, context is important, with Yamal returning from a lengthy injury layoff and potentially still building towards his best form.
That makes the quarter-final clash with Belgium an ideal opportunity for him to make a bigger impact.
Belgium have shown attacking quality at this World Cup but have looked vulnerable defensively, conceding in four of their five matches so far. Their goals conceded record reads 1, 2, 1, 0, 1, highlighting that clean sheets have been difficult to come by.
Spain’s attacking numbers also suggest they are growing into the tournament. They have recorded 6, 10, 1, 8 and 7 shots on target across their World Cup matches, while their knockout-stage performances have shown signs of improvement. Spain managed 16 shots on target across their knockout fixtures, reinforcing the belief that this side is becoming more dangerous as the pressure increases.
With Belgium likely to provide more space than some of Spain’s previous opponents, Yamal could benefit from a more open contest. His ability to cut inside, create shooting opportunities and attack defenders one-on-one makes him one of Spain’s biggest threats in the final third.
After a frustrating tournament from a goalscoring perspective, this could be the perfect moment for Yamal to deliver on the biggest stage. A vulnerable Belgium defence combined with Spain’s improving attacking output makes Lamine Yamal anytime goalscorer an appealing option.
TIP 2: Kevin De Bruyne - Over 1.5 Shots - 1pt
Best odds of 19/20 at Virgin Bet while publishing.
Kevin De Bruyne has remained a key attacking outlet for Belgium at this World Cup, and the Napoli midfielder looks well positioned to record another high shot volume when they face Spain in the quarter-finals.
The Belgian playmaker has exceeded 1.5 shots in 9 of his last 10 competitive appearances for his country, showing how consistently he looks to influence matches in the final third. His recent shooting numbers have been particularly impressive, with his last five starts producing 2, 7, 5, 4 and 4 attempts.
De Bruyne was left on the bench against the USA due to fitness concerns, but the extra recovery time could prove beneficial heading into such a crucial fixture. When on the pitch, Belgium continue to rely heavily on his creativity, passing range and willingness to shoot from distance.
The underlying World Cup numbers also support the over 1.5 shots angle. De Bruyne is averaging 3.5 shots per 90 minutes at the tournament so far, meaning he only needs a small amount of involvement to clear this line.
Belgium’s attacking approach further strengthens the case. They have been extremely active in front of goal throughout the tournament, recording 15, 19, 35, 23 and 15 shots across their five matches — an average of 21 shots per game.
Against Spain, Belgium are unlikely to dominate possession for long periods, which could actually benefit De Bruyne’s shooting opportunities. Spain’s aggressive pressing and attacking full-backs can create spaces in midfield, allowing a player of De Bruyne’s quality to find room around the edge of the box.
TIP 3: Rodri - Over 2.5 Tackles - 1pt
Best odds of 19/20 at William Hill while publishing.
Rodri’s intelligence out of possession has been a major factor in Spain’s World Cup run, and the holding midfielder looks well placed to clear the 2.5 tackles line against Belgium.
His tournament tackle numbers read 4, 5, 5, 2 and 1, giving him an average of 3.4 tackles per 90 minutes. Looking at a broader sample, Rodri’s last nine starts have produced tackle totals of 4, 5, 5, 2, 1, 1, 1, 7 and 2, underlining both his consistency and his capacity for big defensive performances.
What makes Rodri particularly appealing in this market is his exceptional reading of the game. He excels at anticipating passes, stepping into passing lanes and recovering possession cleanly with well-timed challenges. Against a Belgium side that will look to break quickly through the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and their wide attackers, Rodri should have plenty of opportunities to engage defensively.
If Belgium can generate transitions and force Spain to defend in midfield, Rodri’s anticipation and tackling ability could once again come to the fore, making over 2.5 tackles a compelling angle for this quarter-final clash.
TIP 4: Mikel Oyarzabal - Anytime Goalscorer - 1.5pt
Best odds of 11/8 at AK Bets at the time of writing.
Mikel Oyarzabal has emerged as Spain’s most reliable finisher at this World Cup, making him a compelling choice in the anytime goalscorer market against Belgium.
The Real Sociedad captain has already scored four goals in the tournament and has found the net in nine of his last ten competitive starts for Spain, underlining his remarkable consistency in front of goal. Even in the victory over Portugal, when he missed a clear-cut opportunity, Oyarzabal remained heavily involved in the attack, a positive sign rather than a concern.
His shot volume has been excellent throughout the competition, averaging 3.8 attempts per game, which suggests that further chances are likely to come. Against a Belgium side that has conceded in four of their five World Cup matches and has occasionally looked vulnerable when defending crosses and quick combinations around the box, Oyarzabal should have ample opportunities to add to his tally.
Spain will be keen to impose themselves early, and with Oyarzabal’s current form, movement and confidence, he appears well placed to lead the charge. Given his outstanding scoring record and the matchup against a defence that has shown signs of fragility, Mikel Oyarzabal anytime goalscorer stands out as one of the strongest selections of the quarter-finals.
