The World Cup quarterfinals continue when Spain meet Belgium on Friday afternoon in Inglewood, Calif.

Yes, we all wish the United States were facing La Roja at this stage. But what better way to get over the sting of the USMNT’s round of 16 defeat than to try and make some money.

Here are our three best bets for the match.

Match Result and Total Goals

Spain may be more capable of vertical attacking under Luis de la Fuente, but they’re still at their best when they’re controlling the ball.

And despite their reputation for attacking flair, that ability to manage the ball can actually lead to fewer chances and lower totals.

After going behind 2-0 in their round of 32 clash, the Red Devils have outscored opponents 7-1 to get past Senegal and the United States.

And yet it still feels like opponents beat themselves in both matches as much as anything the Red Devils did, and this is going to be a radically different matter.

So I’m backing a Spanish win in 90 minutes and the total coming in under 3.5 goals at +140 and an implied 41.7% probability.

Match result and total goals: Spain and under 3.5 (+140, DraftKings)

Player To Score Last Goal

Romelu Lukaku is no longer a 90-minute player for Belgium, and in a game where his side will be doing lots of defending, it seems unlikely he would make his second tournament start.

But he has still looked useful as a second-half substitute, scoring three times after the 85th minute, including the final goal against the United States.

I’m not enamored with any Belgian’s chances to find the net in this game, where they will have far less possession than they’ve had in most contests. But even in a lopsided defeat you could envision Lukaku getting a consolation tally in a final World Cup shift out of respect for what he has meant to the program.

There’s definitely a little value there on a last goalscorer wager at +750 odds and an implied 11.8% probability.

Player To Score Last Goal: Romelu Lukaku (+750, theScore Bet)

Second-half double chance

Spain is a stronger money line favorite in the second half than in the first, but that’s probably not a great reflection of how these teams do their damage.

Even while being relatively compact, Spain have scored first-half goals in three of five matches this tournament. With older attacking players that come off the bench, Belgium have unsurprisingly done more of their damage later on.

While I like Spain in this game overall, I think the second half favors Belgium relative to the first. And that’s why I’m backing them on a double-chance wager after halftime at +120 and an implied 45.5% probability.

A second-half tie or more Belgium goals after halftime and your wager pays out.

Second-half double chance: Belgium or draw, +120 (BetMGM)

Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard announced his retirement on Friday after a 22-year career in Ames.

The 61-year-old Pollard’s retirement will go into effect on June 30, 2027, or whenever his position is filled.

Hired in 2005, he is the longest-tenured AD in Cyclones history and the longest-serving active AD among the Power 4 conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC).

“My wife, Ellen, and I look forward to the next chapter in our life’s journey, and it is important to us that we transition now, while we are both healthy and young, so we can fully enjoy our retirement years,” he said. “I am grateful to President Cook for allowing me to share this news now and hopefully it will allow the university plenty of time to properly transition new leadership to our department during a transformational time in college athletics.

“When we moved to Ames in 2005, we did not anticipate the impact being a Cyclone would have on our family,” he added. “The personal and professional opportunities our family has experienced during the past 21 years have been truly amazing.”

The Cyclones have thrived in the classroom and on the athletic fields and courts during his tenure, including winning 24 Big 12 team titles in eight different sports and crowning 24 NCAA individual champions.

“Jamie Pollard’s bold vision has produced the most sustained period of academic and athletic excellence in Iowa State’s Athletics history, and Cyclones everywhere are incredibly grateful for his leadership, passion and dedication to our university,” said ISU President David Cook. “His leadership has established a culture that has elevated our athletics program academically and athletically to incredible heights while continuing to be a loyal advocate for our student-athletes, coaches and staff.”

Athletics fundraising has soared from just over $9 million the year before Pollard’s arrival to a school-record $53 million in 2025-26, according to the school.

Before joining Iowa State, Pollard was an associate AD and deputy AD at Wisconsin (1998-2005) and an associate AD at Maryland (1994-98) and Saint Louis (1989-94).

–Field Level Media

Portugal’s new 71-year-old coach said “age doesn’t matter” and there still is a place on the team for 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo.

Jorge Jesus signed a four-year deal on Friday to coach Portugal through the 2030 World Cup.

Jesus succeeded Spain’s Roberto Martinez, whose contract expired with Monday’s 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup round of 16.

Jesus spent the past year coaching Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, with the Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr.

“I’m 71, but I feel 50 because I’m healthy. I train every day — an hour or two. It’s going to be a tough challenge, but I’m convinced we’ll win,” Jesus said Friday at Portugal’s Football Federation headquarters in Lisbon.

“Age doesn’t matter. Look at Cris. Under me, he used to cover 8 kilometers per match, reaching speeds above 25 kilometers per hour.”

Ronaldo announced his retirement from World Cup play but did not close the door on making future appearances for the national team. He is Portugal’s all-time leader in caps (233) and goals (146) and in 2026 joined Argentina’s Lionel Messi as the only men to appear in six World Cups.

Ronaldo scored three goals in the 2026 World Cup but was the subject of criticism from disappointed fans.

“I haven’t spoken to Cris yet. He will never be a problem for the national team or for me,” said Jesus. “As for the controversy, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

“When the time comes to make a decision, I will speak with Cris and with everyone else individually. Cris is a symbol of Portugal. He will go down in history. It has been a great pleasure working with him. He is incredibly easy to work with.

“I need to speak with him to find out what he wants to do. He has always told me that he wants to finish his career at Al Nassr. If he is in a position to be called up, I will do so.”

–Field Level Media