Amir Yaseen

Srinagar, July 7

Mikel Merino struck deep into stoppage time as Spain edged Portugal 1-0 in a tense FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash on Monday, booking a place in the quarterfinals and bringing Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup journey to a heartbreaking close.

With extra time looming at Dallas Stadium, Spain finally found the breakthrough in the 91st minute. Substitute Ferran Torres slipped a pass into the path of Merino, who drilled a precise low finish beyond Diogo Costa to settle a tightly contested Iberian showdown.

Spain will now travel to Los Angeles for a quarterfinal against the winner of the United States-Belgium match.

Both sides created opportunities in an entertaining first half but lacked the finishing touch. Mikel Oyarzabal squandered Spain’s clearest opening after being played through by Dani Olmo, while Costa produced a superb save to deny Alex Baena’s curling effort.

Portugal threatened through Cristiano Ronaldo, and came closest to scoring when Nuno Mendes saw his deflected strike crash against the crossbar.

The second half developed into a tactical battle with few clear chances before Spain’s substitutes combined to produce the decisive moment. Ferran Torres’ intelligent assist allowed Merino to continue his rich scoring form, with the midfielder now netting nine goals in his last 17 appearances for Spain.

Spain also set a World Cup record by becoming the first team to keep six consecutive clean sheets at the tournament. Midfield anchor Rodri was named the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match after another commanding display.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente praised the impact of his bench, saying the substitutes changed the rhythm and energy of the game and highlighted the depth available in his 26-man squad.

Portugal, meanwhile, were left to reflect on another near miss. Bruno Fernandes admitted his side defended too deep after half-time, allowing Spain to dominate possession before eventually finding the winner.

Head coach Roberto Martínez believed his team deserved at least extra time, pointing to Nuno Mendes’ effort off the crossbar and a disciplined defensive performance against one of the tournament favourites.

For Ronaldo, the defeat marked the likely end of an extraordinary World Cup career. The 41-year-old had already confirmed before the match that the 2026 tournament would be his last. Across six World Cup appearances, he became the first men’s player to score in six different editions and finished his World Cup career with 11 goals in 27 matches.

Spain’s title challenge, however, remains firmly alive – and once again, they found a way to win when it mattered most.

Match information, quotes, and photos courtesy of FIFA.com