Spain booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Mikel Merino scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner to seal a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Iberian rivals Portugal on Monday night.
The Round of 16 clash, played at the Dallas Stadium before a crowd of 70,649 spectators, appeared destined for extra time until Merino struck in the first minute of added time to break Portuguese hearts.
Both sides created chances in a fiercely contested encounter but struggled to find the breakthrough, with disciplined defending and impressive goalkeeping keeping the scoreline level for much of the game.
As the match edged towards extra time, Spain found the decisive moment. Merino rose to the occasion in the 90+1st minute, scoring the only goal of the contest to send the Spanish supporters into celebration and secure La Roja’s place in the last eight.
Portugal pushed for a late equaliser but were unable to respond before the final whistle, bringing their World Cup campaign to an end.
The victory sees Spain advance to the quarter-finals, where they will continue their quest for a second FIFA World Cup title, while Portugal bow out after a spirited performance that ultimately lacked the finishing touch.
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