Rudi Garcia said his Belgium team gave Spain a "run for their money", but said lady luck was smiling at Luis de la Fuente's side during their World Cup quarter-final. 

Belgium were eliminated by the European champions at Los Angeles Stadium following a 2-1 defeat, with super sub Mikel Merino scoring the winner in the 88th minute. 

Fabian Ruiz had given Spain the lead with 30 minutes on the clock, but Charles De Ketelaere levelled things up four minutes before half-time with a fine header into the net. 

However, Belgium were forced to replace goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois after he sustained an apparent thigh injury, with his replacement, Senne Lammens, playing a huge role in Spain's winning goal. 

Lammens failed to gather Pau Cubarsi's shot from distance, allowing Merino to steal in and score to send Spain to the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time since 2010. 

"It was really simple, that we could be proud of our World Cup stint, that we learn, we learn through defeat," Garcia told reporters.

"I don't think that we've got anything to feel humiliated about. I think that we were able to really give the Spanish squad a run for their money.

"Unfortunately, the stars weren't aligned for us. We lost our goalkeeper. We lost our captain.

"We had to change a sub out given to De Bruyne and that wasn't part of the game plan at the end of the game."

Garcia was, however, left to rue some key moments that went against Belgium. An apparent handball against Rodri went unpunished while Alexis Saelemaekers rounded Unai Simon late on, but saw his cross cleared by Aymeric Laporte and into the hands of the Spain goalkeeper. 

"We went in to press them. We put pressure on the key players," Garcia added. "And honestly, the players were up to scratch. They sang from the song sheet that I gave them.

"They did exactly what they needed to do, but once again, we need lady luck to be on our side, and unfortunately, she was smiling at Spain and not Belgium."

Excluding the third-place play-off match, Belgium have now been eliminated from each of their last four World Cup knockout stage ties against fellow UEFA nations, since beating Spain on penalties at the quarter-final stage of the 1986 tournament.

But it marked the end of a positive campaign in North America for Belgium, who were eliminated in the group stages of the 2022 edition in Qatar. 

After back-to-back group-stage draws with Egypt and Iran, the Red Devils finished top of Group G after thrashing New Zealand 5-1, before coming from two goals down to beat Senegal 3-2 and going on to thrash co-hosts United States to reach the last eight. 

Garcia was asked about his own future as Belgium's head coach, despite only replacing Domenico Tedesco last January. He has overseen 20 matches in all competitions, winning 12 of them (D6 L2). 

Instead, the 62-year-old paid tribute to Belgium's veteran players in Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, who have likely played in their final World Cup for Belgium. 

"We're not here to talk about the future. It's not the right moment," Garcia said. "We're here to talk about the game, the game against Spain.

"And that's the only thing. That's the only thing that matters. I'm disappointed.

"I'm disappointed for those who maybe won't come back with the national team, those who were competing in the last global competition.

"I took a team that I wanted to take as far as possible. My veteran players that may be on their way out so that they could have one last hurrah.

"It's a shame. It's a shame because I think that everyone deserved to go far in this World Cup, but what matters at the end of the day is we weren't far from going into extra time."