Mikel Merino came off the bench to score the only goal of the game as Spain defeated Portugal 1- 0 to reach the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup.
The Arsenal midfielder almost missed out on Spain’s World Cup squad after suffering an injury that caused him to miss several of the Gunners’ final matches of last season. However, he was selected for the tournament after proving himself as one of Spain’s most important players over the years, including during their decisive success at Euro 2024.
Merino delivers another important moment for Spain
La Roja continue to view Merino as a key figure in their squad, and he once again demonstrated why he can be trusted during important moments. His ability to influence major matches has remained one of his strongest qualities.
As reported by the BBC, Merino came off the bench against Portugal and scored the winning goal in added time, just six minutes after entering the match. His contribution proved decisive as Spain secured a place in the next stage of the competition.
Arsenal midfielder makes the difference
The victory also means Merino has ended Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career, with the 41-year-old expected to retire from international football. Portugal had entered the match with hopes of continuing their tournament journey.
Portugal was considered one of the favourites because of the quality available in their squad, but Merino produced the decisive moment and sent them home from the competition.
Spain will now focus on continuing their progress in the World Cup and will hope their experienced players can continue delivering when the pressure increases. Merino’s latest performance has further strengthened his reputation as a player capable of making a difference on the biggest stage.
For Arsenal, his return to form at such an important time will also be encouraging. The midfielder has shown that despite his injury concerns before the tournament, he remains capable of producing valuable contributions when his team needs him most.
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Merino took his goal brilliantly – upon coming on many arsenal fans would not have been surprised by the moments he comes up with especially in the big games. He already has won the hearts of many arsenal fans – I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he if he imposes himself even more in the Fifa WC.
Merino has an asset which shines through at vital times for his Club and Country and that is composure.You either have it or you don’t, and thankfully for Arsenal and Spain he has it .Apart from his talents on the pitch he strikes me as a very decent human being who is not a narcissist like Ronaldo, who was a great player, but no longer is.
Of course Merino won’t come close to achieving half of what Ronaldo did in his career
Remember it’s that attitude Ronaldo has that made him who he was so you would take it
Sadly on the international stage, Ronaldo has been holding Portugal back in recent times, it’s clear to see. Unless you’re the country’s manager of course. Who seems to be clueless, remember this is the same manager who had the best generation of Belgium players to choose from. And we all saw how that turned out.
Your dead right Derek.Not surprisingly, all areas of the Portugese media are focussing on the failure of Martinez to recognise what is clearly evident to anyone with a knowledge of the game, concerning the waning powers of Ronaldo. .Basically, for some time now, Portugal has been playing with ten men.