Spain’s Secret Weapon Is Always There When They Need Him

For most footballers, scoring a winning goal to send your country to the World Cup semi-finals would be a career highlight. Every player dreams of becoming a national hero — but few make it happen.

Mikel Merino, though? He is used to big moments like these.

115 Seconds to Change a Match

In the 86th minute, with Spain’s quarter-final against Belgium tied at 1-1, Luis de la Fuente turned to Merino to make something happen off the bench. Just 115 seconds after entering the pitch, he scored the winning goal.

In the previous round against Portugal, it took him a little longer — just over five minutes — to have the same impact. It was his effort in the 91st minute that eliminated Portugal and sent Spain to the quarter-finals.

Merino is the definition of clutch. At World Cup 2026, he has become:

These two goals have come from just four shots — a conversion rate of 50%. He averages a goal every 3.5 touches in the opposition’s box, the 11th-best rate of any player to have scored two or more goals at the tournament.

A History of the Clutch Gene

This is not a new phenomenon. Merino has a documented history of scoring all-important, last-gasp goals for his country on the biggest stages.

Across major tournaments — World Cups and Euros — Merino has scored three goals as a substitute, level with Álvaro Morata. No Spain player has scored more from the bench in major tournaments.

De la Fuente’s Verdict

It is a manager’s dream to have someone to turn to when the game is not going to plan — someone trusted to make an impact. This is precisely why De la Fuente relies on Merino with such conviction.

Speaking after the Belgium match, he said:

“Merino has many virtues — he could play in any national team and any club — and for us he is tailor-made for this team, for this model. We know that whenever we need him, he’s always there.”

“There was a moment in the match when we were thinking of bringing him on as a centre-forward. We saw that the game could go differently, and it worked out well.”

“It’s unfair that Mikel doesn’t play from the start, but it would also be unfair if someone else were left out. Only 11 can play, and they understand that — the role they have to play at any given moment. When they take to the pitch, they know what they have to do. That’s why it’s a pleasure to be their manager.”

The Numbers Among the Elite

At World Cup 2026, Merino’s efficiency is up there with the very best players in the tournament.

Merino has scored 1.32 goals per 90 — the fifth-highest rate of any player to have reached the quarter-finals. Only Kylian Mbappé (1.39), Lionel Messi (1.36), Erling Haaland and Johan Manzambi (both 1.35) have scored more per 90 at this tournament. That is not bad company to find yourself in.

What Arsenal Already Know

Arsenal fans will already be well aware of Merino’s capabilities. Since his Gunners debut in October 2024, he has scored 15 goals across all competitions — with four of those coming as a substitute.

And these are not meaningless goals. Ten of Merino’s 11 Premier League goals have changed the match’s game state — taking Arsenal from losing to drawing, or drawing to winning. The only goal that did not change the game state was Arsenal’s second in a 2-0 win against Leicester City in February 2025. Super-sub Merino had already scored the first.

From Ball-Winner to Goal Machine

Mikel Arteta originally signed Merino as a ball-winning midfielder. The numbers from his final season at Real Sociedad in 2023-24 tell the story of a player with elite physical attributes.

It was during a striker crisis at Arsenal that Arteta first deployed Merino as an impromptu number nine — against Leicester City in February 2025 — and the rest has been history.

In the UEFA Champions League, Merino has played up front seven times for Arsenal and scored four goals in those appearances — including an excellent first-time finish in a memorable 3-0 victory over Real Madrid.

It is clear that for all the duel-winning qualities that make Merino a quality midfielder, his knack for scoring important, late, result-changing goals means his role as a super-sub striker has become impossible for any manager to overlook.

What It Means for Spain at World Cup 2026

With Merino as an option off the bench, Spain do not always need to be playing at their best to get a result. Against Belgium, they were not — and Merino still found a way.

With a huge semi-final against France now up next for a place in the World Cup 2026 final, that could be more important than ever for La Roja. France have the individual quality to hurt Spain in ways few teams at this tournament have managed. But if the match is level in the final stages, De la Fuente has an ace up his sleeve that no other manager at World Cup 2026 can match.

Mikel Merino — 115 seconds, two knockout winners, one extraordinary tournament. The world’s best super sub is just getting started.

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