Spain rode on Mikel Merino’s late winner to secure a semifinal berth at the Euro 2024 quarterfinal at the Stuttgart Arena in Germany on Friday.
La Roja, after conceding late in the second half, off a strike by Florian Wirtz, took the lead in the 119th minute, when Merino guided Dani Olmo’s cross in the net. And as the referee blew the full-time whistle minutes later, the Spanish players sank to the ground, celebrating the win.
WHO IS MIKEL MERINO?
Merino started his professional club football career with La Liga side Osasuna, after graduating from its youth academy and played 63 times for the first team. He later moved to Bundesliga and the Premier League, playing for Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle United respectively.
Merino has represented his country in the youth sides since 2014, playing for the under-19 and under-21 sides under coach Luis De La Fuente, who later took charge of the senior team.
He received his first senior team call-up in August 2020 and scored his first goal for the senior team on 12 September 2023, the in a 6–0 rout of Cyprus in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers.
In the European Championship this year, he came off the bench in Spain’s first two Group E matches, against Croatia and Italy, and started in the final Group stage match against Albania.
He has won the under-19 and under-21 European Championships in 2015 and 2019, respectively, and finished as the runner-up in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
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