Mikel Merino: 'I'm Overjoyed to Score Another Decisive Goal – Now We Face France'

Spain knocked Belgium out of the 2026 World Cup in the quarterfinals, with Mikel Merino once again proving to be the match-winner. The midfielder struck the decisive blow to send La Roja into the semifinals. After the final whistle, Merino reflected on the moment. He admitted he still can't quite believe history repeated itself, but stressed that when you're ready, these opportunities come back around. Now, he's determined to keep pushing forward with his team. “How do I feel? Happy, obviously. I still can't wrap my head around it. I thought something like this either never happens again, or maybe it does – but you never know when. It feels like there are no coincidences in this world. If you're prepared, it can happen again. So right now I'm just happy, buzzing about the last week. I hope I'll score even more decisive goals. I doubt it'll happen in the next game, but I hope so. We'll see,” said the Spanish international. Merino also spoke about the magnitude of being two wins away from World Cup glory. He described it as a dream come true and highlighted how football unites the entire world. Bringing joy to so many people, not just in Spain but globally, is a huge source of pride. Up next for Spain is a semifinal showdown with France. Merino expects a balanced, high-quality match between two elite sides. He promised that his team will prepare with hunger and an enormous desire to win.