Mikel Merino has done it again. He came off the bench to save Spain for the second game in a row.
Fabian Ruiz scored from close range after Olmo’s shot was deflected back by Courtois to give Spain the lead early in the first half.
The lead did not last long, as Belgium equalized after just 11 minutes with a goal from De Ketelaele.
Then, just when the game would normally have ended in a stalemate, Belgium conceded a goal that looked very similar to their opener.
Download the official CaughtOffSide app to get all the latest news and updates straight to your phone. above apple & Google play
Pedri passed the ball to Kvarsi, and Senne Lamence, who had replaced the injured Courtois, spilled over to substitute Merino, who had no choice but to pounce and pat him down.
See the goals below.
Mikel Merino was Spain’s hero against Portugal
Merino is quickly building a reputation as Spain’s ultimate tournament savior.
His late heroics against Belgium came just days after similar heroics against Portugal in the Round of 16.
In this hard-fought match, Merino came on as a substitute in the 85th minute and scored the winning goal in the 91st minute from a pass from Ferran Torres, sealing a 1-0 victory and subsequently ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career.
Combined with his famous 119th-minute winning goal against Germany at Euro 2024, the midfielder has established himself as the man for the absolute biggest moments.
Merino signed a fantastic contract with Arsenal
His performance in the tournament capped off a fantastic spell for the 30-year-old, who has been exceptional for Arsenal since joining from Real Sociedad in August 2024.
Want more Catchoffside coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favorites list of trusted news
Merino played a key role in Mikel Arteta’s side in a variety of positions, leading the Gunners to a historic Premier League title in 2025-26.
Despite a broken foot in January that threatened to keep him out of the World Cup, Merino recovered just in time to bring his title-winning pedigree to the international stage and has proven to be perhaps the former world champion’s most impactful player.
