Mikel Merino, a substitute player for the Spanish national team, shared his impressions after the team's victory over Belgium in the quarter-final of the 2026 football tournament. He described his goal as something 'surreal'—scoring the decisive goal at the end of two consecutive knockout matches.
Goal in the Quarter-Final
Merino noted that he could not have imagined such an event even in his wildest dreams, especially scoring another goal in the final minutes of the game. Earlier, he had already scored in stoppage time during Spain's tense 1-0 victory over Portugal in the Round of 16 on Monday.
Match against Belgium
Later in the game, when the score was tied 1-1, young Belgian defender Pau Cubarsí took a low shot from distance. Belgian reserve goalkeeper Senne Lammen was unable to fully save the shot, and it bounced to Merino, who had only come onto the field two minutes prior. The Arsenal midfielder proved to be the fastest and sent the ball into the net.
Motivation and Future Plans
Merino emphasized that his dramatic late performance was not pure chance, explaining that he came onto the pitch with a strong drive and self-belief. He stated that the key to success is to step onto the field with momentum and believe in one's ability to contribute where necessary.
Merino also observed that his team's progression to the semi-finals, where they will meet France, currently seems less monumental than Spain's successful campaign at the European Championship two years ago. Acknowledging that the match against Belgium was an 'enormous battle,' he concluded that the upcoming encounter with tournament favorites France will be a 'direct' fight, as is always the case in semi-finals. Spain approaches the match against France hungry and ready to fight, considering it a top-level match where both teams play at their maximum capacity.
