Spain secured a dramatic place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Portugal 1-0 with a stoppage-time winner in their Round of 16 clash on Monday, ending Cristiano Ronaldo's final World Cup campaign.
Mikel Merino emerged as Spain's hero, scoring the decisive goal in the 92nd minute to seal a hard-fought victory in a tightly contested Iberian derby and send La Roja into the last eight of the tournament being held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
With the win, Spain advances to the quarterfinals, where it will face the winner of the Round of 16 showdown between the United States and Belgium.
Spain entered the match in confident form after cruising past Austria 3-0 in the previous round, with its talented young squad continuing to impress throughout the tournament. Portugal, meanwhile, had booked its place in the knockout stage after a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Croatia.
Despite several chances for both sides, neither team was able to break the deadlock until Merino's late strike, which proved enough to eliminate Portugal and keep Spain's hopes of lifting a second World Cup title alive.
Follow the latest news on Google News
