# Spain reach World Cup quarter-finals as substitute Merino sinks Portugal late

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/mikel-merino-comes-full-circle-with-spain-in-touching-tale-of-fathers-and-sons-sid-lowe/
- Published: 2026-07-06T22:42:14+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-01T21:34:42+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/06/mikel-merino-spain-world-cup-winner-portugal
- Topics: Americas, Europe, Football, Sport, World

## Key points

- Merino scores last-gasp winner for Spain in World Cup knockout match against Portugal
- Comeback came after months recovering from foot injury that threatened tournament participation
- His corner-flag celebration mirrored his father's goal-scoring pose from three decades earlier

## Summary

Spain advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals after Mikel Merino scored a decisive goal in the dying moments of their last-16 encounter against Portugal. Brought on as a late substitute, Merino made an immediate impact by capitalising on the ball with seconds remaining to secure Spain's passage through a tightly contested knockout match.

The achievement held profound personal significance for Merino, who had endured a lengthy rehabilitation from a foot fracture that once threatened to exclude him from the tournament entirely. Playing far from home with a newborn son he barely knew and a pregnant wife managing alone, Merino's return to form symbolised both personal resilience and family legacy—his celebration replicated a goal-scoring moment his father had performed in his own professional career decades prior.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.