Mikel Merino, Spain's hero who has missed the first two months of his son's life

BarcelonaMikel Merino has once again become Spain's hero. The Navarrese player scored in the 91st minute the goal that gave the Spanish team qualification for the quarterfinals of the World Cup after an in extremis victory against Portugal (0-1). But he wasn't just the protagonist of the night on the pitch. After the match, the 30-year-old player, currently at Arsenal and trained at Osasuna before playing for Borussia Dortmund and Real Sociedad, explained the difficulties he has had to overcome to reach this point.

The road to the World Cup has not been easy at all. A serious foot injury he suffered at the end of January with Arsenal had cast doubt on his presence at the major international tournament. "I thought I wouldn't make it and now I'm at the top. It's a reward for effort, hard work, and the support of my loved ones," he explained after the match. He also added that he is now experiencing "one of the happiest moments" of his career, after overcoming these months of uncertainty.

"I've missed the first two months of my son's life"

Happiness, however, has also had a personal price. "Everything that is beautiful about participating in a World Cup and representing your country also has a not-so-beautiful part: I've missed the first two months of my son's life, seeing him grow and change. I miss them a lot, but luckily they will come to see the quarterfinals now," he confessed.

The Pamplona-born footballer became the father of little Marco on May 9, shortly before joining the Spanish national team. His wife, Lola Liberal, and the baby will now travel to the United States.

Another goal for history, with a tribute to his father

Mikel Merino once again appeared at the decisive moment. He entered the pitch in the 85th minute and, just six minutes later, he finished a great assist from Barcelona's Ferran Torres to give Spain qualification against Portugal. It is not the first time that the Navarrese midfielder has decided a tie in a major tournament. At Euro 2024, he already scored the goal that eliminated Germany in the quarter-finals, in Stuttgart, and qualified Spain for the semi-finals. Thus, he put an end to Toni Kroos' international career. Now, two years later, another goal from him has served to bid farewell to Cristiano Ronaldo from the World Cups.

After the goal, Merino repeated a celebration that has already become his trademark: he ran to the corner flag and ran around it. It is a tribute to his father, Miguel Merino, a former Osasuna footballer, who celebrated goals in the same way in the 90s. The midfielder had already immortalized this gesture with the goal against Germany in Stuttgart, and now he has repeated it again on another decisive night with the Spanish national team.

A very special San Fermín

The goal also arrived on a very symbolic date for the Navarrese footballer. Coinciding with the start of the Sanfermines, Merino celebrated the qualification by shouting "Long live San Fermín!" and appeared before the media with the traditional red scarf around his neck.

The Spanish coach, Luis de la Fuente, also defended the midfielder's role. "Mikel never fails. He is a safe bet, and he always shows up in important moments. We have players on the bench who would be starters in almost any other national team," assured the Spanish coach, who will face Belgium on Friday at 9 p.m., in the World Cup quarterfinals.