World Cup Round of 16: USMNT vs Belgium, Portugal vs Spain Preview

On Monday, July 6, at 3 p.m. ET in Dallas, Portugal and Spain will face off in a critical Round of 16 match broadcast on Fox. The two Iberian rivals have met 41 times before, but only twice in World Cup history. This encounter carries heavy weight as the winner advances to the quarterfinals.

The teams last faced each other during the UEFA Nations League Finals last summer, where Portugal triumphed in a penalty shootout. In the current tournament, Spain impressed with a 3-0 victory over Austria, while Portugal secured a thrilling 2-1 comeback win against Croatia.

The victor here will await the winner of the U.S. vs. Belgium game for a quarterfinal clash in Los Angeles on Friday.

USMNT Prepares for Belgium Showdown

Later on Monday at 8 p.m. ET in Seattle, also on Fox, the United States Men's National Team (USMNT) takes on Belgium. Both teams have even odds at -110.

The U.S. team is seeking to break a long drought, having not reached the World Cup quarterfinals since 2002. This edition of the squad looks different from the one that suffered a 5-2 loss to Belgium in a friendly earlier this year under coach Mauricio Pochettino.

A surprising development has boosted the Americans: striker Folarin Balogun had his one-match suspension lifted by FIFA after a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina was overturned. As the team's leading scorer, Balogun’s return could prove decisive.

Belgium barely edged past Senegal thanks to a late rally in their Round of 32 match. Their recent World Cup performances have been inconsistent, with outcomes ranging from an early exit to a third-place finish and a quarterfinal run.