Mikel Merino has developed a priceless habit of delivering late, decisive goals off the bench at the FIFA World Cup, with his latest dramatic intervention firing Spain into the semi-finals for the first time since their triumphant 2010 campaign.
The midfielder’s knack of popping up when it matters most has been the difference in back-to-back knockout victories, as Spain overcame Belgium in the quarter-final and another opponent in the round of 16 to end a 16-year wait for a win in the knockout stages of the world’s biggest tournament.
“I look behind me and I see Mikel Merino and I think: ‘I’m calm as can be,’” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said after the quarter-final win, as quoted by The Guardian.
Super-sub stuns Belgium
Against a talented Belgian side in the last eight, Merino was summoned from the bench with the game finely poised. With time running out, the Real Sociedad man arrived in the box to apply a clinical finish, sparking wild celebrations and ensuring Spain’s progression.
That goal followed an equally vital contribution earlier in the tournament, where he again rose from the substitutes’ bench to break deadlock and secure a first knockout triumph for La Roja since the 2010 final. De la Fuente’s faith in his impact substitute has been emphatically vindicated.
De la Fuente’s calm amid the tension
The Spanish coach revealed a remarkable sense of serenity when Merino waits in reserve, even as the tension inside the stadium hits fever pitch. De la Fuente’s post-match admission underlined the midfielder’s growing stature within the squad.
“In those moments when time is running out and the tension is running high, there’s something about Spain’s coach. And there’s certainly something about the midfielder,” the Guardian feature noted.
What comes next
Spain now face a daunting semi-final clash, with Merino likely to retain his role as a potential difference-maker from the bench. With confidence soaring and a place in the World Cup final within reach, the 30-year-old’s happy knack of scoring late winners could yet prove to be the fairy-tale ingredient in Spain’s quest for a second global crown.
