Mikel Merino came off the bench to score a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Spain defeated Portugal 1-0 in a heavyweight 2026 World Cup round-of-16 clash in Dallas.
Spain struggled to create clear-cut chances throughout a cagey second half before Ferran Torres threaded a pass through to Merino, who calmly slotted a low finish beyond goalkeeper Diogo Costa in the 91st minute.
The victory mirrors Spain’s 1-0 win over Portugal at the same stage of the 2010 World Cup and sends the Spaniards into the quarter-finals, where they will face either the United States or Belgium.
The defeat also brought an end to Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career, with the 41-year-old having confirmed before the tournament that the 2026 edition would be his final appearance on football’s biggest stage.
