I have now watched around five World Cup matches from the stands since arriving in the United States. But Spain's quarter-final against Belgium was my final match at the stadium. I'll have to watch the remaining two quarter-finals—England vs Norway and Argentina vs Switzerland—on television, as I'm scheduled to fly out of the US on 13 July and hope to be back in Dhaka by the 15th.
This trip to the United States has been a wonderful experience. The enthusiasm for the World Cup here is remarkable. Fans from all over the world have created a truly unique atmosphere. But the biggest surprise for me has been the affection shown by my fellow Bangladeshis.
As I stepped out of my hotel today, I found around 20 Bangladeshi supporters who had apparently been waiting for me for nearly two hours. The warmth, hospitality and invitations I have received from the Bangladeshi community in such a short time are something I will never forget. Many of them were also eager to take photographs together.
Today's match was played at Los Angeles Stadium in front of nearly 70,000 spectators. Spain had the larger share of support inside the stadium. Watching the match, however, was not particularly comfortable.
Kick-off was at noon local time, and the weather was extremely hot. Although the upper part of the stadium is covered, the sides remain open, allowing air to circulate. Since the venue is located in a hilly area, it gets intensely hot during the day before cooling down considerably at night.
The humidity made it feel much hotter than the actual temperature. Sitting in the stands under the blazing midday sun became quite exhausting at times, and I genuinely struggled with the conditions.
But I forgot all about the discomfort once the football got underway. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Spain play from the stands. They deservedly reached the World Cup semi-finals by beating Belgium. Although the winning goal came right at the end, Spain dominated the match throughout. To be honest, they fully deserved the victory.
Belgium are simply not as strong a side as Spain and created very few meaningful chances. Spain's midfield completely controlled the game and was the biggest reason behind the victory, launching attack after attack.
One player who particularly caught my eye was Spain's teenage star Lamine Yamal. Much like Lionel Messi's teammates constantly look to find him on the pitch, Spain's players repeatedly searched for Yamal whenever they had possession. He is quickly becoming the team's most influential player.
Another major story behind Spain's victory was Mikel Merino. He came off the bench to score the winner against Portugal in the previous round, and he did exactly the same against Belgium. That's the definition of a perfect super-sub. He has become a crucial player for Spain, and the coach's tactical decision to use him as an impact substitute has paid off in two consecutive knockout matches.
Belgium, meanwhile, suffered because of their goalkeeping situation. Their first-choice goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, was forced off with an injury after the 70th minute, bringing on Senne Lammens. The Manchester United goalkeeper was making his World Cup debut but ended up conceding the decisive goal. When a goalkeeper lets a routine shot slip through his hands, the consequences can be severe. It was a save he should have made.
Spain conceded their first goal of the tournament in what was their sixth match. Since their goalless draw against Cape Verde, they have looked increasingly dominant. But an even tougher challenge awaits in the semi-finals against France. Based on current form, I would make Kylian Mbappe and France slight favourites, although not by much. I'd put it at around 55-45 in France's favour.
After the final whistle, I watched Spain's supporters celebrate wildly in the stands. They were singing, dancing and soaking up the moment, with smiles everywhere. I left the stadium carrying that incredible atmosphere with me. After enduring the scorching afternoon sun, I stopped at a coffee shop to cool down and refresh myself before heading back.
* Jamal Bhuyan is the captain of the Bangladesh national football team.
