Mikel Merino has broken his silence after helping Spain win the World Cup, revealing what he and his teammates believed before the final against Argentina.
The Arsenal midfielder played an important role in Spain’s triumph, scoring crucial goals during the knockout stages as his country added the World Cup to the Euro 2024 title they won two years earlier. His performances throughout the tournament underlined his importance to the national team.
Merino reflects on Spain’s victory
Merino has enjoyed an outstanding period for both club and country, and Arsenal will hope his confidence carries into the new season. Becoming a world champion is another major milestone in his career and could provide an extra boost ahead of the campaign.
Spain defeated Argentina in the final after the South Americans had eliminated England in the semi-final. Argentina were aiming to retain the trophy, but Spain produced a performance that proved too strong for their opponents.
The Spaniards created enough opportunities to settle the contest before extra time, but Emiliano Martinez produced several important saves to keep Argentina in the match. Despite those moments, Merino believed Spain had the quality to come out on top.
Merino explains Spain’s confidence
According to Sky Sports, Merino said: “It was a game about concentration. We knew we were a better team in terms of football.
“The pitch was dry, it was a difficult game because they are a very, very competitive side and they know how to make the game difficult for you.
“I think the team was outstanding today and we deserve it.
“When you are facing a low block and you have a team that is defending in your own box, you have to attack the box with bodies on the line and then control the transitions.
“We have very good players that can cross the ball, big threats in the box and the old school way of scoring goals and we did it.”
Merino’s comments reflect the confidence within the Spain squad throughout the final. The midfielder credited his team’s concentration, attacking quality and collective performance as the key factors behind their World Cup success and another memorable achievement for Spanish football.
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It’s evident Argentina came with an inferiority mind set. Merino shouldn’t have missed that header sitter given his aerial prowess. Arteta happy while his assistant Heinze possibly dejected. Paredes’ backward ugly show marred the post match spectacle. Chelsea’s red card appetite (8 last term) has overflown even to the WC stage with Enzo ruining their penalty shoot out chances.
Europe 13-10 South America. Spain co hosts the next edition.
What Argentina did against Spain was what their neighbour Paraguay did against France. Thuggish football.
Ambachew,
And the sad thing is, some people actually admire the way Argentina go about playing football.
Just listen to the BBC commentator’s, they were praising some of these dark arts. Sad, very sad.
I was really against Argentina winning the cup since it was obvious that FIFA was clearly biased in their favour. It seems Messi is Infantino’s son-in-law and can therefore do no wrong.
He will still win the Balon D’or regardless
And how about the media’s darling attempting to get Cucurella sent off?
Yeah as much as I can’t stand Cucurella, he did nothing wrong. That was really bad sportsmanship from Messi and he probably should have been carded for it.
Good point. Classless Messi.
When Spain’s seemingly legitimate goal was disallowed without a proper VAR check the crowd was heard chanting ‘Infantino Infantino’.
DEREK, I only praise their goalie who limited the damage. Nothing else with their display. I even wondered how they reached the final with this wild jungle futbol. We could have seen a football befitting of a final had it been Spain v England. Had it not been for the leniency of the ref 3 Argentina players including that Boca man Paredes should have left the pitch earlier.
Those who praised their display might have not red lines at all in their career. Pathetic!
Isn’t this the way Arsenal have been playing for the last 2 seasons though Derek ?
Not as in your face ,but the boring time wasting playing for corners and getting in the face of officials from the manager to the players ,unless I’ve witnessed other side to Arsenal no one else as seen 🤔
We’ve been called the dark art masters from all corners of the prem .
Dan Kit,
I agree with you to a point. I said it at times last season. I certainly haven’t been impressed with our style of play, so you get no argument from me there.
But as you say, not as in you’re face as Argentina.
It’s a thing with Conmebol teams. Argentina are notorious for this sort of thing going way back.
As a follower of the Oranje (no angels themselves sometimes, ahem!), the 1978 WC final was an even WORSE example of their horrible behaviour, if you can believe it… look it up!
And then we have the famous “Hand of God”, and various other cheating incidents.
Zero love for Argentina from me.
Bergkamp,
Argentina’s is so so special even from conmebol standards. We remember Brazil lost 7-1 as host nation. Would Argentina allow that? I doubt. Either they walk out or reduced to 7 men. I presume fifa’s investigation wouldn’t be that stern; slap on the wrist penalties.
What a poor excuse for a football team. The certainly fight, but thats all they do. Thuggish, dirty, degrading, mindless thuggary. England also played these non footballing footballers off the park, until they self destructed and let these morons win the game, from nowhere. Spain kept plugging and kept their heads and played the right way, when they went 2-0 up. FIFAs silence over their after the game (England) antics, says it all. Why give these thugs any credit for what the managed to achieve. The right team won the WC and some of the turn a blind eye tactics by the refs and FIFA is embarrassing. Thank god these bandits, didn’t manage to retain the cup. Maybe if Argentina felt that strongly against England, they should not be hypocritical and play football here. We won’t miss them.
did you watch England Argentina
not sure how you think we played them off the park lol
I did, I am not sure you did. We were the only attacking team on the pitch, Messi never got a kick, we were in total control and the only team trying to play football was England. Argentina were hell bent on kicking us off the pitch and only interested in kicking us off the pitch. That changed after the goal and they realised it was a football match and not a cage fight.
they hit the post twice , Pickford had to make a great save
what great chances did we have ?
Messi never got a kick ?
he got two assists mate lol.
we were the only attacking team.on the pitch, we had 5 shots the entire game and only two were on target
Argentina had 15 ! 5 on target
they had 64 percent of possession
they had 6 corners …we had 2
no way you watched that game lol
or your one of these fans who if you think you say it happened , it counts lol.
You obviously do not read posts and just steam in. You are saying something that is not in context and not what was said in my post. Did you read the post and did you watch the match?
Dan you do not have to lie and twist posts to make an argument, if you want an argument over rubbish and lies, look in the mirror. What you are saying is NOT what I have put. I will not be replying to you again because you are twisting and lying to just get a reaction. I said BEFORE THE GOAL, BEFORE WE SELF DESTRUCTED. NOT AFTER, THAT WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT and like a different game.Is that clear enough, or do you want to spew some more rubbish.
Na
Argentina gave us a football lesson in the second half
yeah but he doesn’t want to include the last 40 mins lol
he means before that when we had 0 shots on target lol
not looking for an argument
simply think it’s not true that we outplayed Argentina or Messi didn’t get a kick but now you have clarified that you don’t mean after we went 1-0 up
you did originally say we played them off the park . How was I meant to know you were not referring to the majority of the second half
my only issue with that is at half time neither team had a shot on target and Argentina had more possession so I’m sorry I don’t see where we outplayed them
I’m not going to not correct you just because you don’t like being corrected
that’s the point of the site
but sorry none of the stats suggest we played them off the park.
Dan,
What Reggie actually said, was England played them off the park until they self-destructed.
yeah I disagree with that mate
at HT Emgalnd had 0 shots on target and Argentina had more possession
In my opinion that is not playing a team off the park lol
I can’t ignore facts just because he doesn’t want to hear it
Dan,
I’m not saying we played them off the park, I was just putting what Reggie actually said.
I’m not saying you did mate
I’m saying that even if he doesn’t want to include the period after England scored , I don’t see before where we played them off the park
Plus and you really do not get it and you seem to want to ignore it. Argentina were and absolute disgrace of a team and their antics before, during and after the games they played were despicable. Nit picking and twisting a post to suit your agenda, whatever that is just sad. I did watch the world cup and I do have an opinion (mine not yours) and I did think Argentina were a disgrace. Thats the main point. I am waiting for you to tell me the complete opposite, just to smooth your ego.
I didn’t give an opinion about their behavior
I simply don’t believe we played them off the park
while I respect it’s opinions I can’t pretend I didn’t watch what I watched
Dan,
Out of interest, would you like to give you’re opinion on the Argentinian’s behavior.
I admire their spirit and will to win , never say die attitude and their passion for the shirt
but in the final they took it too far especially at full time
Dan,
It wasn’t just the final was it. This is who they are as a footballing nation. From 1966 to the present day, they’ve always had this trait.
Just look at their behavior in other World Cups. And then to hear the current manager say they win with honour, and they lose with honour just about sums them up.
Sorry Reggie
I am with DS on this one.
It was even -stevens till half time and the 2nd half they were better. Even before we scored the had chances hitting the side netting.
I hate to say this: That bunch of thugs (whom I despise greatly) deserved to beat us.
Where I agree with you is that we pressed the self-destruct button by not being bolder and using our brains to playing an out ball to let us say Morgan Rogers even though AG was substituted) or anyone else for that matter.
On the other hand I thought Egypt played Argentina off the park. It was unfortunate that their main threat Hassan got injured and had to come off. That is when Argentina turned it on.
Right, I thought and stick by it. Argentina did not play football first half and until our goal. Messi, Alvarez and Fernandes were non existent. The rest of the team where trying to start a fight. Their footage was dire. After we scored, it was totally different. They played us off the park. BUT that is not what is the issue that a certain individual has forgot. The issue was their attitude to England, the rules, the behaviour and their total lack of respect before, during and after. My opinion of what I saw doesn’t matter. The point was the way Argentina had been that game other games and the final. They were a disgrace. It isa problem that you or anyone thinks any different to me about the game, I can and do accept your opinion. Because thats what it is. The issue, wrongly dismissed and forgotten was Argentina are a disgrace. And they were. Probably even more in the final, trying to start fights any where they could. Thats far worse than any opinion of how we or they played. Dan will try to start a fight in a phone box on his own, sometimes and he has an history. I accept your opinion of the game and Dereks for that matter. But that isn’t the issues. I can go into the game deeper, to try and back up where I am coming from but that is the side issue. The main one is Argentina and their anti football approach.
Not “It isa” but It isn’t a
yeah but that doesn’t explain your statement that England played them off the park lol
not really mate
it’s not a fight , it’s simply at no point did we play Argentina off the park
stats don’t support that nor do the majority who watched the game
someone disagreeing with isn’t the same arguing
I simply think at no point did we play them off the park
you can’t say things that are not true and then say people are arguing if they tell you the truth lol.
In general and throughout the tournament overall, I agree with you about Argentina being a horrible team and a disgrace to the world cup tournament.
But in the case of England, they played the better football and deserved to win (I hate to say it). The dark arts are against every team. Even England does it sometimes (maybe not to the extent that Argentina generally do). If anything, the Argentinians did less dark arts against us compared to the other teams.
You cannot blame Argentina just because England pressed the self-destruct button under pressure.
Against Egypt, they deserved to loose. Did not see the Switzerland game, so I do not know.
I can blame Argentina for their approach and I am. They were a disgrace. Before during and after. The first half against England all they wanted to do was fight. If anyone thinks that is good football, I would always disagree.
yeah mate I have not found anyone who think we played them off the park
it’s a very strange observation