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Merino… the hunter of unique moments
In every major tournament, a player emerges who has a knack for turning up when his team needs him the most. For Spain, this player is Mikel Merino, who has become the man of the big dates and the scorer of decisive goals, to the point where he has earned the nickname “Legend Killer”.
After his fateful goal against Germany at the European Championships helped bring down the curtain on the international careers of a number of German giants, he returned this time to send Spain into the quarter-finals of the World Cup with a historic goal, as it could be the last sight of Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup before the sporting achievement turns into a sad moment in my human beginnings. tournament.
Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente no longer hides his admiration for his player, as he joked more than once: “I’ll take Mikel Merino home with me,” referring to his absolute confidence in the Arsenal midfielder and his ability to make a difference when the team needs him.
The confrontation with Portugal was the best new evidence of that confidence. After taking part, as extra time approached, Merino only needed a few minutes to make his usual mark. A seemingly normal mistake started the conversion that led to the qualifying goal.
Merino was fouled but didn’t try to make a break, but quickly got up and resumed play before the ball reached Fabian Ruiz, who in turn passed it to Rodri, who set it up for Ferran Torres. Meanwhile, Merino raced behind defenders to get the assist and score the winning goal that sent Spain through to the quarter-finals.
De La Fuente praised his player after the game, saying: “Mikel Merino never lets us down. He is an irreplaceable player. He gave us the European title and he is always there when we need him the most. We have players on the bench who are capable of playing in any other team’s starting line-up.”
As for Merino, he made no secret of the extent of his transformation in recent months, saying: “Just a few months ago, my presence here seemed impossible, but now I am living one of the happiest moments of my football career.”
🥺 Cristiano Ronaldo’s tears… a shot that sums it all up#WorldCup2026 pic.twitter.com/fRv3RNI89T
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) July 6, 2026
Executioner of legends
Merino took his tally to 11 goals for Spain to become the second top scorer in the De La Fuente era, but he is better known for scoring goals that change the course of tournaments and turn the pages of big stars.
In the quarter-finals of the European Championship, he scored the decisive 119th-minute winner against Germany to send Spain into the semi-finals, in a game that was the last of Germany star Toni Kroos’ international career, and also marked the end of the German careers of Thomas Müller and Ilkay Gundogan.
Merino repeated the feat today after scoring against Portugal in what is believed to be the last goal scored by legend Cristiano Ronaldo in his final World Cup match.
Merino believes the goal was not just a sporting achievement, but the result of many months of work and patience, after reportedly enduring one of his toughest seasons ever. newspaper”Brand:“Spanish.
“Getting here a few months ago seemed unbelievable, but now I’m living on a high and enjoying one of the most beautiful moments of my professional life. I remember everyone who supported and encouraged me even when I doubted that I could reach this stage. Every day of effort and doubt was worth it.”
Merino scores the breakthrough goal for Spain at the crucial time pic.twitter.com/b3hINruHsL
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) July 6, 2026
A family gift…and a long-awaited meeting
Just two months ago, Merino welcomed his first child, Marco, but his commitment to the World Cup prevented him from spending the first two months with his child.
So his goal against Portugal wasn’t just a place in the quarter-finals, it also caused his wife Lola and young son to travel to Los Angeles to support him.
“Although participating in the World Cup with my teammates is a great experience, there is a difficult side, missing the first two months of my son’s life and not watching him grow day by day. I miss them a lot, but luckily they will come to watch the quarter-final match.”
Merino’s remarkable performance also cemented his place in De La Fuente’s squad as he was keen to praise the role of the substitutes, saying:
The most obvious example of this remains Mikel Merino, who once again proved that some players only need a few minutes to change the fate of matches and write new pages in the history of football.
