Injured Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois leaves World Cup quarterfinal loss to Spain

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois left his team's World Cup quarterfinal loss to Spain on Friday in the second half with an apparent injury.

Courtois was in tears on the Belgium sideline after he was replaced by Senne Lammens in the 71st minute of a 1-1 match. Spain went on to win 2-1 and reach the semifinals.

“You’re not happy when you have to leave a quarterfinal of a World Cup,” said Courtois, who made four saves before departing.

The longtime Real Madrid keeper went down to the grass with what appeared to be a thigh injury four minutes before his substitution, and he received treatment during the hydration break. Courtois said he felt a pain in his muscle on a long kick at the start of the second half.

“Then I did some saves, I felt OK, so I thought, ‘OK, we’ll continue.’ Then I kicked again long and I felt a bit more so then you know it’s something muscular and you need to be careful,” he said. “I wanted to try to play maybe five, 10 more minutes to see because in goal I was feeling good, I was making the saves and I was not disturbed. I was only disturbed to kick long.”

The injury didn't improve enough for Courtois to continue, and Belgium replaced him with Lammens, the Manchester United keeper who had not yet played at the World Cup.

Lammens then spilled a long shot from Pau Cubarsí in the 88th minute and Mikel Merino scored off the rebound to send Spain to the semifinals and a match against France.

“I gave him a big hug, much more I cannot do in the moment,” Courtois said. “He’s a great goalkeeper. He will only get stronger from this.”

Courtois was appearing in his 21st World Cup match, the second-most in tournament history for goalkeepers behind Germany's Manuel Neuer.

Courtois made 10 saves and allowed five goals in Belgium's first five matches at this year's World Cup.

Fabián Ruiz scored in the 30th minute for Spain, but Belgium forward Charles De Ketelaere scored the first goal allowed by Spain in the entire World Cup in the 41st minute.

“We're very proud of everything we've done,” Courtois said. “We are a small country of not even 12 million people that on big tournaments are showing amazing things.”

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, right, leaves the pitch after sustaining an injury during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Spain and Belgium in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (1) is substitued by Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens (12) due to an injury during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Spain and Belgium in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Marcio J. Sanchez)

Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia hugs goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (1) after he was substitued due to an injury during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Spain and Belgium in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Marcio J. Sanchez)

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (1) goes off the field during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Spain and Belgium in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, right, leaves the pitch after sustaining an injury during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Spain and Belgium in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

MIAMI (AP) — Javier Sanoja had three hits and drove in a run, Ryan Gusto limited Boston to four hits in 5 2/3 innings and the Miami Marlins beat the Red Sox 4-0 on Wednesday night.

Gusto (1-3) walked three, struck out two and hit two batters for his first victory since July 30, 2025. Otto López singled twice and stole two bases, while Heriberto Hernández had two hits and an RBI to help the Marlins avoid a sweep in the three-game series.

Boston starter Sonny Gray, in his bid to become the first in the major leagues to 17 wins this season, gave up two runs and seven hits over five innings. Gray (16-4) walked one and struck out five.

The Red Sox had won five straight. They committed four errors.

Red Sox star catcher Audley Rutschman missed his second straight game because of right elbow irritation.

Down 2-0, the Red Sox threatened in the sixth after Andruw Monasterio was hit by a pitch with two outs and Jarren Duran singled to end Gusto’s outing. Victor Vodnik relieved Gusto and struck out Anthony Seigler, then had a perfect seventh.

Janson Junk and Dax Fulton each threw an inning to complete the shutout.

Boston’s Mickey Gasper went 0 for 3 and walked after he reached safely in his first eight plate appearances of the series.

Hernández gave Miami the lead with an RBI single in the first.

López made it 2-0 in the second, when he singled, stole second and raced home on catcher Connor Wong’s throwing error.

In the eighth, López scored from third on a fielding error by first baseman Nick Sogard on Owen Caissie’s grounder. Sanoja added an RBI single.

Red Sox LHP Patrick Sandoval (1-2, 4.54) was set to start the opener of a four-game series at the New York Yankees on Friday night. The Marlins had not announced a starter for the opener of a three-game set at Washington on Friday night.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Boston Red Sox's Anthony Seigler runs after hitting a single during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Miami Marlins' Heriberto Hernández hits a RBI single to score Kyle Stowers during the first inning of a baseball game, against the Boston Red Sox, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Miami Marlins' Kyle Stowers hits a single during the of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray, center, talks on the mound during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)