Mikel Merino Spain Beat Portugal to Reach World Cup Quarter-finals

Mikel Merino scored a dramatic injury-time winner as Spain defeated Portugal 1-0 on Monday to book their place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals and bring Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career to an emotional end.

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The European champions secured victory in the first minute of stoppage time after substitute Ferran Torres set up Merino, whose composed finish settled a tightly contested Round of 16 clash.

Spain will now face Belgium in the quarter-finals after the Red Devils defeated the United States earlier in the day.

Merino Delivers Late Winner

Spain dominated possession for long periods but struggled to break down Portugal’s disciplined defence.

With extra time approaching, Ferran Torres slipped a perfectly timed pass into the path of Mikel Merino, who calmly finished past goalkeeper Diogo Costa to seal Spain’s place in the last eight.

The victory also extended Spain’s impressive defensive record, with the team yet to concede a goal in the tournament.

Ronaldo’s World Cup Journey Ends

Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, had confirmed before the match that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be the final tournament of his international career.

The Portugal captain created a few opportunities but found it difficult to influence the game against Spain’s organised defence.

His best chance came in the first half when goalkeeper Unai Simón produced a strong save from a powerful effort.

The final whistle marked the end of Ronaldo’s remarkable World Cup journey.

Spain Create Better Chances

Spain nearly opened the scoring early when Dani Olmo set up Mikel Oyarzabal, but the forward missed the target with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena also tested Diogo Costa, who made several important saves to keep Portugal in the contest.

Portugal came closest before halftime when Pedro Porro accidentally diverted Nuno Mendes’ shot onto his own crossbar.

Emotional Tribute Before Kick-off

Before the match, players and supporters observed an emotional tribute as an image of the late Portugal forward Diogo Jota appeared on the stadium’s giant screen.

The moment was met with applause from fans before attention turned to one of the tournament’s biggest knockout fixtures.

Despite Portugal’s determined performance, Spain remained patient and earned a deserved victory through Merino’s late strike.