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| Portugal (0) Spain (1) |
Portugal's ball possession sat at 44% with two yellow cards on the night, and Renato Veiga picked up his caution late.
How it happened – minute by minute with jokes
First half: 0-0, and not the fun kind of 0-0. Both teams probed like they were trying to unlock a phone with the wrong thumb. Spain kept the ball, Portugal kept the shape.
Second half: Still 0-0 at 89', and the commentary booth was already pricing extra-time coffee.
85' subs: Spain boss takes off Pedri and Dani Olmo, brings on Fabian Ruiz and super-sub Merino. Classic "let's freshen legs" move that looked boring until it wasn't.
90+1': GOAL. Quick free-kick, Merino gets fouled, takes it himself, sprints, combines with Ferran Torres, and slots past Diogo Costa. Spain lead 0-1 thanks to Merino, Ferran Torres with the assist.
The highlights call it a "dramatic 1-0 victory courtesy of a 90th-minute winner from substitute Mikel Merino" after a Ferran Torres through-ball just as extra time loomed.
USA Today put it bluntly: "Wow, just a few minutes after coming on, Mikel Merino gives Spain a 1-0 lead in the 90th minute".
Tactics for the nerds
Spain did Spain things. Short passes, wide overloads, and patience that would annoy a saint. Portugal under Roberto Martinez sat compact, let Spain have the ball in harmless zones, and waited to spring with Ronaldo and Leão. It worked for 90 minutes, then didn't.
The winner came from transition chaos, not tiki-taka poetry. Merino's run after the quick free-kick caught Portugal still organizing, which is football code for
"everyone was pointing at someone else."
That made it Spain's second 90th-minute winner in World Cup history after Peiró vs Mexico in 1962, and the third Spain goal scored and assisted by subs since 1966.
The Ronaldo storyline
This was billed as Ronaldo's final World Cup, and it ended the hard way. Multiple outlets reported Merino scored in the first minute of second-half stoppage time to beat Portugal 1-0 and likely end the superstar's World Cup career.
Ronaldo, 41 in 2026, didn't get the fairytale. He told reporters Spain had "a bit of luck" and that he was "sad to be leaving the World Cup" after a match that could have swung either way. Portugal manager Roberto Martinez also called it the end of a cycle after the loss.
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Spain, meanwhile, march to the quarter-finals for the first time since winning in South Africa 2010.
Why this result matters for fans
Iberian Derby history:
Spain now own the bragging rights in a knockout for the first time since Euro 2012 semis.
2026 World Cup trends:
Merino's strike was the 10th last-minute winner (90th or later) at this tournament, the most in a single edition ever. Spain also logged their 11th 1-0 World Cup win, trailing only Germany and Brazil.
Fantasy fallout: If you captained Merino, congratulations, you are either a genius or you misclicked.
What's next:
Spain face the USA or Belgium in Los Angeles on Friday, per tournament reports.
Bottom line, fan to fan
Portugal defended like their lives depended on it for 90 minutes, then blinked. Spain didn't play their prettiest game, but they played the most Spanish game: keep the ball, stay calm, bring on a midfielder who looks like he teaches geography, and win it late.
Funny, cruel, and very World Cup. If you're Portugal, you go home with pride and what-ifs. If you're Spain, you go to LA with momentum and a super-sub who just became a trivia answer forever.
What is your opinion about this match and how will you predict Spain next match
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