Mikel Merino Achieves Unique World Cup Milestone

Spain's midfielder Mikel Merino etched his name into the history books after scoring the winning goal in their 2-1 quarter-final clash against Belgium at the 2026 World Cup.

Merino entered the field as a substitute in the 86th minute and found the back of the net just two minutes later. This made the Spaniard the first player in World Cup history to score two winning goals in two consecutive knockout stage matches after coming off the bench.

In the Round of 16 match, where Spain defeated Portugal 1-0, Merino also started on the bench. He was introduced in the 85th minute and scored the sole goal of the game in the 91st minute.

In the semi-finals, the Spanish side will face France.