La Roja, the reigning European champions, are the only side at the World Cup yet to concede a goal and booked their place in the quarter-final with a last-gasp win over rivals Portugal.
Belgium, meanwhile, have looked like a different prospect entirely since topping their group. A stunning comeback victory over Senegal set up a last-16 clash with co-hosts USA where they produced a statement performance.
The winners of this game will face the victors of the France vs Morocco tie in next week’s semi-final.
Date, kick-off time and venue
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Spain vs Belgium is scheduled for a 8pm BST kick-off on Friday, July 10, 2026.
The match will take place at the Los Angeles Stadium.
Where to watch Spain vs Belgium for FREE
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on BBC One with coverage starting at 7.30pm BST.
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Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest live online via BBC iPlayer or the BBC website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog.
Free highlights: World Cup highlights are available on FIFA’s official YouTube channel, along with BBC iPlayer / ITVX app and their websites.
Spain vs Belgium team news
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As ever, Spain have concerns over Nico Williams and Yeremy Pino as the pair are yet to be available for any of the knockout games.
New Liverpool signing Victor Munoz has recovered from a knock that forced him to miss the rest of the group phase, but is unlikely to start or feature here.
Nico Williams
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Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, David Raya, Joan Garcia
Defenders: Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, Alejandro Grimaldo
Midfielders: Rodri, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Pedri, Gavi, Fabian Ruiz, Alex Baena
Forwards: Yeremy Pino, Victor Munoz, Mikel Oyarzabal, Ferran Torres, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Nico Williams, Borja Iglesias.
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Belgium manager Rudi Garcia has made big decisions throughout the tournament and in the last-16 win over USA, he opted to leave both Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku on the bench.
However, he will be forced into making at least one change after Amadou Onana was ruled after he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee.
Kevin De Bruyne
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Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Senne Lammens, Mike Penders
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Defenders: Timothy Castagne, Zeno Debast, Maxim de Cuyper, Koni de Winter, Brandon Mechele, Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Joaquin Seys, Arthur Theate
Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne, Amadou Onana, Nicolas Raskin, Youri Tielemans, Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel
Forwards: Charles de Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Romelu Lukaku, Dodi Lukebakio, Diego Moreira, Alexis Saelemaekers, Leandro Trossard
Spain vs Belgium prediction
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Not many will have predicted Belgium to be here. Far from convincing in their opening two group games, trailing by two in the 85th minute against Senegal before taking on the host nation in the last-16.
However, facing Spain will be a step up and we think it will be a game too far for the Red Devils with the European champions improving with each match.
Head to head (h2h) history and results
Spain vs Belgium match odds
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There were multiple stabbings in the dramatic incident last year
The man accused of the attempted murders of 10 people during a mass stabbing on a train in Cambridgeshire has pleaded not guilty. People were seriously injured following multiple stabbings on a LNER service travelling from Doncaster to London on the evening of November 1.
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Anthony Williams, 33, appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday, July 9. Williams entered his pleas via video, wearing a white t-shirt, as he stated “not guilty” to each of the charges.
He also pleaded not guilty to 11 other offences, including four other attempted murder charges relating to other incidents. Other charges include affray at a barbershop in Peterborough on October 31, and theft of a knife set from an Asda store in Stevenage on the same date.
The Coastguard and Ambulance Service were both called to the scene
A swimmer in difficulty has been rescued on a Co Antrim beach. Two RNLI senior lifeguards rescued the swimmer on Portrush West Strand on Tuesday evening, July 7.
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At 5pm, the lifeguards were alerted by a member of the public to the swimmer struggling against strong surging waves outside of the flags.
A RNLI statement said: “Lifeguard Annie Jagoe was the first to enter the water using a rescue board. On reaching the casualty Annie manoeuvred the woman onto her rescue board. Senior Lifeguard Jack Devenney came to assist on a rescue watercraft.
“The two lifeguards were able to get the casualty onto the rescue watercraft sled which helped them safely bring her into shore.
“Both lifeguards performed casualty care. The casualty had no clear injuries. The Coastguard and ambulance were both called on reaching the shore.”
Senior lifeguard Jack Devenney added: “Rip currents can be hard to spot, and you will struggle to swim against them, no matter how experienced a swimmer you are.
“If you are caught in one, don’t try to swim against it or you’ll get exhausted. If you can stand, wade, don’t swim. Swim parallel to the shore until free of the rip and then head for shore. Always raise your hand and shout for help.”
If you aren’t the strongest swimmer, the RNLI says ‘you can Float to Live’ and gives the following tips:
Tilt your head back with ears submerged
Relax and try to breathe normally
Move your hands to help you stay afloat
It’s okay if your legs sink we all float differently
Tottenham are ready to splash the cash again, despite already spending over £230million, with a move for Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi, who could cost close to £100m. Rafael Leao has also been linked. Liverpool are working on a replacement for Mohamed Salah, with Crysencio Summerville the latest forward linked. Follow the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip live below!
As the UK swelters in its third heatwave of the year, temperatures in Greater Manchester are forecast to top 30C over the weekend.
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The Met Office has said that the highest temperatures are expected to hit the country today and tomorrow (Thursday July 9 and Friday July 10), with temperatures expected to top 30C across England and Wales.
Yet despite the heat, the UK weather agency has said that it will not feel as hot as the previous heatwave in late June.
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However, across north west today there will be plenty of strong July sunshine. It will feel very warm with maximum temperatures around 30C.
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Tonight is expected to stay clear but with the risk of some fog, the Met Office says. But it will be yet another warm night for most.
Heading into Friday, the Met Office says: “Early fog clearing to leave a hot and sunny day across the region. Light winds and high UV levels expected. A very warm evening and night to come too. Maximum temperature 33 °C.”
The outlook for Saturday through to Monday will remain largely dry with hot sunshine throughout. The Met Office says: “The wind picking up a little may just allow it to feel not quite as hot for most. Nights remaining warm.”
So with the broader picture for the weekend being largely sunny with high temperatures for most, here we’ve looked at the forecast for all nine boroughs of Greater Manchester from Friday (July 10) to Sunday (July 12).
A man has denied the attempted murder of 10 people who were stabbed on a train.
Passengers were seriously injured on the LNER service which was travelling from Doncaster to London King’s Cross, shortly after it called at Peterborough on 1 November.
Anthony Williams, 33, from Langford Road in Peterborough, appeared at Cambridge Crown Court, where he entered his pleas via video link.
He also pleaded not guilty to 11 other offences, including four more attempted murder charges related to other attacks in Peterborough and east London prior to the train incident.
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He appeared via video link from Rampton Hospital and was wearing a white T-shirt.
Williams sat hunched as he said “not guilty” to each of the charges.
On the day of the incident, the 18:25 service from Doncaster was diverted and stopped at Huntingdon, where Williams was arrested.
Multiple 999 calls had been made from the train.
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Williams faces a total of 21 charges.
He is charged with attempting to murder Jonathan Gjoshe, Sachin Balakrishnan, David Presland, Scott Bletcher, Scott Green, Kevin Deely, Stephen Crean, Raza Aslam, Michael Paffett, and Samir Zitouni on the train near Huntingdon on 1 November 2025.
He is also charged with attempting to murder Dawid Taborski, William Ogelby and a 14-year-old boy in Peterborough the day before, and attempting to murder a 17-year-old boy in East London in the early hours of 1 November.
The other seven charges include three of possessing a bladed article, one of assaulting a police officer, and one of common assault on another train.
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His trial is scheduled for 26 October.
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Thompson posted a video to Instagram on Wednesday night to reveal the update in her campaign, and wrote: “Have held it together all week, but creating this and re-watching it over and over again to remind myself that this is actually real and that this day really happened is making me cry and it’s a huge release.
The affected products are sold in M&S supermarkets in Northern Ireland, have a best before date of October 9 and a product code of 29424887.
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A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said: “M&S is recalling the above product. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling this product.
“These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.
“Symptoms caused by Listeria monocytogenes can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea.
“However, in rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis.
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“Some people are more vulnerable to listeria infections, including those over 65 years of age, pregnant women and their unborn babies, babies less than one month old and people with weakened immune systems.
“If you have bought the above product, do not eat it. Instead, return it to where you bought it from for a full refund.”
An M&S spokesman added: “In the abundance of caution, Marks & Spencer is recalling M&S Truffle Gouda due to the potential presence of Listeria.
“Customer safety is of paramount importance to Marks & Spencer and we take food safety extremely seriously.
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“Please do not consume this product. Any customers in possession of this product can return it to their nearest store where a full refund will be given.
“Only the displayed date codes are impacted. No other M&S products are affected.
“We apologise to our customers for any inconvenience caused. For more information contact us on 03330 148555.”
What is a product recall?
If there is a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold, then it might be ‘withdrawn’ (taken off the shelves) or ‘recalled’ (when customers are asked to return the product).
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The FSA issues Product Withdrawal Information Notices and Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food.
In some cases, a ‘Food Alert for Action’ is issued.
This provides local authorities with details of specific actions to be taken on behalf of consumers.
There’s a select group who want to mutilate their own penis (Picture: Getty)
From jelquing to ballbusting, there are many things men do with their genitals that sound unpleasant, but one fetish — with a small yet steadily-growing following — goes beyond reason.
While it’s an incredibly niche subculture, there are still thousands online who become aroused at the thought of having part of their penis surgically removed.
Yes, you read that right. Over on Reddit, a 2,300-strong community of men fantasise about undergoing a glansectomy (the removal of the rounded, highly sensitive bulbous tip of the penis), while a 3,500-member group is dedicated to the desire for a penectomy (removing part of the penis).
In the kink world, this is more widely known as the practice of voluntary genital ablation, which refers to any non-necessary procedure that removes or renders nonfunctional a part of the external genitalia.
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However, it can, without question, escalate into something extremely dangerous. Marius Theodore Gustavson, known as the ‘eunuch maker’ was sentenced to life in prison in 2024 for performing life-threatening castrations and penectomies on vulnerable victims for the sexual pleasure of viewers on his website.
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Gustavson himself had had his penis, testicles, right nipple and left leg removed, due to fetish and his body integrity dysphoria (BID) where individuals experience a persistent, intense desire to have a physical disability and feel a severe mismatch between their actual and ideal body.
Men are usually forced to have a glansectomy if they have penile cancer (Picture: Shutterstock/Morakot Kawinchan)
It’s also important to note, we’re not talking about those looking to transition.
According to a 2024 Sexual Medicine study, some individuals assigned male at birth (AMAB) have a strong desire for genital ablation without medical need or a diagnosis of male-to-female gender dysphoria.
And as you can probably imagine, it’s not a fantasy that should ever make its way into real life — as even when performed in a sterile setting by a skilled surgeon, it comes with a whole host of risks.
Glansectomy explained
A glansectomy is a procedure typically only used for men suffering with penile cancer.
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‘These men need part of the penis removed to remove the malignant growth,’ Dr Jeff Foster tells Metro. ‘It’s quite a serious operation as it removes the head of the penis, resulting in shortening the penis and altered sexual function in the future.’
It’s an unpleasant experience, which also involves a skin graft and a catheter in situ for about a week.
‘This is serious stuff,’ the urologist adds. ‘Most importantly, no reputable surgeon would do this procedure unless it was medically implicated, and there’s no way that you could attempt this yourself because of the risks of sepsis and death.’
There are around 820 new penile cancer cases in the UK every year, although not all of them require surgery.
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Why might men find this surgery appealing?
It goes without saying that most men who fantasise about voluntary genital ablation (removal of internal or external genital organs) don’t actually want part of their penis removed in reality; they just enjoy thinking about it.
When it comes to eroticised castration (being aroused by the thought or act of having your genitals removed) and genital injuries due to erotic reasons, the Sexual Medicine survey revealed only up to 4% of individuals aspire to perform it in real life.
But the reasons for this desire can vary wildly.
Sexologist Ness Cooper tells Metro that ‘there are quite a few kinks involved here’, including eunuchophilia. This refers to a man who had his genitals removed to perform trusted roles for the king, and is typically practised by submissives.
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This ties into the genital nullification (or nullo) fetish culture where individuals have the desire to remove all their genitals to result in a smooth area from the abdomen to the groin.
Some men have a chastity fetish which is reinforced if part of the penis is removed (Picture: Shutterstock/Prostock-studio)
Those who have a chastity fetish may also be inclined to want body modification that would ‘take away the sensitive nerve ending part of the penis, reducing overall erotic pleasure.’
In some cases however, it could actually be about pain reduction, as Ness explains men with foreskin issues can sometimes fantasise about a glansectomy to ease their discomfort because they’re ‘unsure how to ask their doctor about it.’
Others might have a medical fetish, where they ‘get turned on and aroused by extreme medical procedures such as a glansectomy,’ or it could simply be for aesthetic reasons, with some men wanting their penis to be ‘completely smooth’.
‘Some of this may be preference, and some may be influenced by media censorship, as penises in the past have been edited or drawn to be smoother than they are to avoid erotic censorship,’ Ness adds.
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Alternatively, outside the select few who find this a turn on, it may be considered by those who identify as asexual and don’t want gender-defining characteristics.
The risks
Whatever the motivation behind it, put simply, you should never try to carry out this fantasy.
‘To voluntarily want to have this procedure suggests significant mental illness around the concept of self mutilation and harm,’ explains Dr Foster.
This surgery is extremely risky and shouldn’t be undertaken for any other reason than a medical necessity (Picture: Shutterstock / SeventyFour)
For UKCP psychotherapist Katherine Cavallo, it’s a little more complicated, but may warrant a deeper look at what’s going on mentally.
‘While experiencing sexual fantasies that are unusual or extreme would not, in itself, be considered psychologically problematic or pathological, and can actually provide a safe playground for the mind to process emotion or explore arousal, it’s important to consider the impact these thoughts have on an individual’s well being and behaviour,’ she tells Metro.
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‘If these thoughts become intrusive or distressing, or are accompanied by compulsive urges to act in ways that could cause harm to oneself or others, this may be indicative of an underlying mental health condition, and it would be important to seek a professional mental health assessment.’
Beyond the psychological side, Ness again highlights it’s a massively risky undertaking, and can ‘lead to infections which may result in more of the area needing to be removed’ alongside some ‘which are hard to beat even after more surgery’ or regular UTIs, nerve pain, and even blood loss.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk
Writing in The Times on the eve of nominations opening, Mr Burnham said he would seek stability in his foreign policy as prime minister as he set out his commitment to Nato, the nuclear deterrent, maintaining close ties with the US and support for Ukraine as well as continuing to bolster relations with the EU.
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