World Cup heats up in the quarter-finals, Thursday's front pages

World Cup heats up in the quarter-finals, Thursday's front pages captures how major sports outlets are framing the 2026 World Cup’s quarter-final matchups as the most intense stage yet. Spanish coverage centers on an immediate focus: Spain’s clash with Belgium, with headlines emphasizing unity and confidence. Marca highlights goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois acknowledging Belgium’s quality, while Mundo Deportivo spotlights Lamine Yamal’s mature readiness. Sport and As run similarly ambitious messages, featuring quotes from Pedri and Unai Simón. International attention also shifts to the France vs Morocco quarter-final, with L’Équipe recalling the Qatar 2022 semifinal and calling it a tough battle, while Olé monitors Didier Deschamps’ comments. The article also summarizes front pages in the Americas: The Washington Post discusses the U.S. team’s “State of the Union,” and Olé echoes Argentina’s resolve through the “Messi until the end” narrative. The match time for France-Morocco is listed as 10:00 p.m.