World Cup 2026: Merino's 91st-minute strike sends Spain past Portugal

Merino breaks Iberian deadlock at the death

A World Cup 2026 Round of 16 tie billed as a heavyweight Iberian collision was decided in its dying seconds. Spain beat Portugal 1-0 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Mikel Merino heading — or bundling — home from a Ferran Torres delivery in the first minute of stoppage time to settle a contest that had threatened to drift towards extra time.

The scoreline flattered nobody but told the truth. Spain were the more purposeful side throughout, controlling the ball for 56% of the match and manufacturing the clearer openings. Their expected goals figure (a measure of chance quality) of 1.77 dwarfed Portugal's 0.6, and Spain created three big chances to Portugal's one. That Portugal held out for so long owed much to a goalkeeper who was made to work, with five saves keeping the game goalless until Merino intervened.

The result carries an extra layer of poignancy given Cristiano Ronaldo had confirmed this would be his final World Cup with Portugal. Spain march on; for Portugal, the summer is over.

How Spain and Portugal lined up in Arlington

Ninety minutes of stalemate, then Merino

For long stretches this was a game of fine margins and few clear-cut moments, Spain probing patiently and Portugal defending in numbers. The substitutions told the story of two managers hunting an edge: Portugal turned to their attacking reserves after the hour, with Rafael Leao and Diogo Dalot introduced on 71 minutes, while Spain freshened their forward line as Ferran Torres came on for Alex Baena on 75.

The decisive shift came late. Spain reshaped again on 85 minutes, Fabian Ruiz replacing Pedri and Mikel Merino coming on for Dani Olmo — a change that would prove inspired. Bruno Silva was booked for Portugal on 89, and just as the tie seemed destined for extra time, Merino struck in the 90th minute plus one, converting Ferran Torres's assist to break Portuguese hearts.

The remaining stoppage time turned fractious. Rúben Veiga was cautioned in the 90th plus four, Ferran Torres saw yellow in the 90th plus eight, and Spain used their final change with Borja Iglesias replacing Mikel Oyarzabal. Anthony Taylor's whistle then confirmed the narrowest of Spanish wins.

The community read Spain — and got the winner right

The futbol.so community went into this one with a firm consensus, leaning towards Spain to progress. The most-selected scoreline was a 2-1 Spanish win, so the direction of travel was spot on even if the margin proved tighter than expected. The official model agreed, making Spain the likeliest winners and pointing to a 1-0 result — a call that landed exactly.

There was nuance across the national communities. Colombia's and Austria's fans leaned towards Spain, while Argentina's split down the middle, with its most-chosen scoreline the very 0-1 that materialised. Between the collective wisdom and the model, the outcome was well-flagged: Spain to win, tightly. What almost nobody could have scripted was that the goal would arrive only after the 90 minutes were up.

Video highlights

SPAIN BEAT PORTUGAL 1-0 TO REACH THE QUARTERFINALS 👊

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Portugal vs España (0-1) | Resumen y goles | Highlights Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026™

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Résumé : PORTUGAL – ESPAGNE, le dernier match de CRISTIANO RONALDO à la Coupe du Monde ?

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Highlights | Portugal 0-1 Spain | FIFA World Cup 2026™

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MERINO last minute, CR7 saluta il Mondiale: Portogallo-Spagna 0-1 | FIFA World Cup | DAZN Highlights

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HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT for Portugal⁉️ REACTION to Spain's Round of 16 win at the World Cup | ESPN FC

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HIGHLIGHTS - Portugal v Spain | Huge All-European Clash | FIFA World Cup 2026

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World Cup: Portugal vs Spain

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World Cup: Portugal vs Spain

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Spain move into the quarter-finals, where on 10 July they will face the winner of the tie between the United States and Belgium — an opponent yet to be confirmed. On this evidence, Luis de la Fuente's side carry both control and a knack for the decisive moment into the last eight.

For Portugal, and for Ronaldo, it is the end of the road. A resilient defensive display kept them level until the final act, but Spain's superior chance creation eventually found a way through.