Spaniard Mikel Merino (6) celebrates (AP photo)
Mikel Merino continued his impressive influence off the bench as he guided Spain into the 2026 World Cup semi-finals with another crucial late goal as La Roja beat Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Friday. The Spanish midfielder participated in the 86th minute, and needed only two minutes to make the difference. Merino took advantage of the rebound in the 88th minute to score the winning goal, qualifying the 2010 world champions to the semi-finals, where they will face France. The goal came just days after the 30-year-old made another dramatic appearance in the round of 16. Against Portugal, Merino also came off the bench before scoring the only goal of the game in stoppage time to ensure Spain’s qualification to the quarter-finals. These two interventions earned Merino a place in FIFA World Cup history. He is the first player to score the winning goal as a substitute in two different knockout matches in a single World Cup. He also became the first footballer to score two goals in a winning match for Spain in a FIFA World Cup from the 80th minute onwards. Despite appearing in all six of Spain’s matches in the tournament, Merino was named in the starting lineup only once.
The midfielder has made five appearances as a substitute, underscoring his growing reputation as Spain’s game-changing option off the bench. His only start in the tournament came against Uruguay on 26 June at Akron Stadium in Zapopan, where he played 60 minutes before being substituted. Against Belgium, Spain took the lead in the 30th minute when Fabian Ruiz scored a goal after Thibaut Courtois blocked Dani Olmo’s shot after an attacking move sparked by Lamine Yamal and Pedro Boro. Belgium restored parity before half-time, with Charles De Kitaleeri heading home from a cross from Timothy Castagne in the 41st minute. The goal ended Spain’s run of six consecutive clean sheets at the World Cup and ended goalkeeper Unai Simon’s World Cup streak of 650 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal. The Red Devils suffered a major setback in the 71st minute when Courtois was forced off through injury following his 21st FIFA World Cup appearance, leaving him second only to Germany legend Manuel Neuer among goalkeepers in World Cup appearances. Spain finally found the breakthrough late on when Pau Cobarsi’s long-range shot was blocked by substitute goalkeeper Sean Lamins. Merino reacted quickest to the loose ball and scored from close range, sealing another knockout stage winner. The win sent Spain into the FIFA World Cup semi-finals for the first time since lifting the trophy in South Africa in 2010, and extended their unbeaten run in normal time to 36 games, a streak dating back to a friendly defeat to Colombia in 2024.