Low-key Los Angeles mood as Spain and Belgium prepare for World Cup quarter-final | OneFootball

Spain and Belgium readied in Los Angeles for their World Cup quarter-final, ahead of Friday's 21:00 kick-off, in perfect temperatures and palm-tree shade. According to L'Équipe, the city remains largely indifferent.

At Dignity Health Sports Park, Marc Pubill and Marcos Llorente, shirtless and barefoot, idled in the sun before training. The Atlético Madrid pair are unlikely to start against Belgium.

Spain returned to LA after beating Austria 3-0, a display Luis de la Fuente felt had nearly brushed perfection. They have yet to concede, Nico Williams is the only doubt, and Gavi spoke of dreaming about an overhead kick in a final against Messi's Argentina.

La Roja are based near Manhattan Beach, with tight security at their hotel. A sniffer dog checks bags, fans are few, and 11-year-old Ronin hopes for Lamine Yamal's autograph.

World Cup branding is sparse, a few freeway adverts and T-shirts, while Dodgers baseball commands more attention with the United States and Mexico out. Few even know Belgium came from Seattle or that their unofficial anthem is On met la patate.

Diego Moreira said Belgium are the favourites and he is 100 percent convinced. Their bigger win came with FIFA permission to train at the Galaxy's stadium beneath the statues of Landon Donovan and David Beckham, rather than on Loyola Marymount University's patched, risky surface.

Belgium have lost Amadou Onana to a knee injury, and Zeno Debast remains out. Their final session ran on the Galaxy pitch used that morning, warming up under the palms.

Source: L'Équipe