# Spain’s Mikel Merino enjoys happy knack of scoring late winners

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/spains-mikel-merino-enjoys-happy-knack-of-scoring-late-winners/
- Published: 2026-07-11T17:33:57+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-11T18:13:35+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/11/spains-mikel-merino-enjoys-happy-knack-of-scoring-late-winners
- Topics: Europe, Football, Sport, World

## Key points

- Merino's late substitute goals send Spain into World Cup semi-finals.
- All three of his tournament goals came off the bench as winners.
- Spain's first World Cup knockout wins since their 2010 title.

## Summary

Spain's substitute midfielder Mikel Merino has become the unlikely hero of their World Cup campaign, scoring late winners in successive knockout rounds to send his side into the semi-finals. His decisive goals against Portugal and then Belgium delivered Spain's first World Cup knockout victories since they won the tournament in 2010, breaking a barrier that had repeatedly halted them in the past.

Merino has now scored three goals for Spain at major tournaments — one at Euro 2024 and two at this World Cup — all as a substitute, all match-winners, arriving in the 119th, 90+1 and 88th minutes. Against Belgium, Spain dominated with 68% possession and three times as many shots but were level at 1-1 until Merino, on the pitch for less than two minutes, struck the winner. He celebrated each goal by circling the corner flag in tribute to his father, Ángel, who scored a winner for Osasuna at Stuttgart 35 years ago; Ángel watched in Dallas wearing novelty socks bearing an image of his son's Euro 2024 header. Spain, who had not previously reached a World Cup semi-final since their 2010 triumph, now face France.

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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.