The selections of Spain and Portugal have faced each other in the round of 16 since Dallas stadium (USA), a match that pitted the two neighboring teams against each other and strong candidates to win the World Cup and which went to the Spanish side thanks to a goal by Mikel Merino in the 90th minute (1-0). Spain will face the winner of the USA-Belgium next Friday at 9:00 p.m. (Peninsular time).
Spain They will be in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup. Luis de la Fuente’s pupils broke the barrier of the round of 16 four world championships later in a highly contested tie against. Portugal. Mikel Merino He emerged again as a national hero with a goal when the game was already dying and seemed destined for extra time. In defense, Spain was once again a lock, allowing only two shots on goal by the Portuguese and registering their fifth clean sheet of the tournament.
The victory represents, in addition to the 36th consecutive official match without knowing the defeat of Spainthe, a priori, last game of christian ronaldo in the history of the World Cups. The former Madrid player played the 90 minutes, although he was not successful in front of goal, saying goodbye to the tournament with three goals to his name, 11 in the total of the six world championships he has played in.
In the battle in the center of the field, Rodri. He recovered the level that won him the Ballon d’Or and that he lost since he suffered a serious knee injury in September 2024. Undisputed starter throughout the World Cup, in the focus of criticism for his performance and uncompromising defense of his coach and teammates. This Monday, bright again.
The minutes passed and Spain found itself again and again with the inspiration of the Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa. At other times, the game thickened and Spain did not find the necessary fluidity to do damage either on the wings or by filtering balls to Oyarzabal in the center. Spain couldn’t quite find the ball and long possessions in the second half, with much less space and chances.
so much Roberto Martínez as Luis de la Fuente They were making changes to give another look to the game. The coach blindly trusts Merino and that trust paid off. Mikel Merino’s opportunism reappeared on a key day. He already did it at Euro 2024 in the quarterfinals against Germany… in Germany. His goal in the 91st minute gave Spain qualification, and he repeated the script this Monday in Dallas against Portugal. Olmo’s clairvoyance was not successful, but Ferran Torres’s was. With freedom on the entire front of the attack and assuming a new role, he filtered the ball so that Mikel Merino could express all his ‘9’ concepts that he has been developing in the last two years at Arsenal to surpass Diogo Costa, repeat his iconic celebration, like his father Ángel Miguel, turning the corner flag around to put Spain in the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
It will be a duel of intimate rivals. An Iberian clash in the heart of Texas. Two of the favorites, face to face in a duel that is still very far from the final. But in the round of 16 of a World Cup there are no neighborhoods that matter. Spain lands after getting rid of a loss. Against Austria he recovered his best feelings in a superb match (3-0) with two goals from Mikel Oyázarbal and another of Pedro Porro. But with all the players achieving a high level and Lamina Yamal starting to find his ‘prime’.
Everything indicates that Luis de la Fuente He has found his typical eleven after some changes in the group stage. Against Austria he repeated that of Saudi Arabia and hit the nail on the head. Unai Simón; Pedro Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri, Dani Olmo; Lamine Yamal, Oyarzabal and Álex Baena. That is the coach’s eleven.
Furthermore, he has known how to make a virtue of necessity. What two years ago in the Euro Cup was a Spain of wingers, in this World Cup is being supported by the sides. Marc Cucurella showing that he understands Oyarzabal wonderfully and committed the assists for his goals. While Pedro Porro has become strong on the right wing alongside Lamine and against Austria he also scored.
The 3-0 victory against Austria in Los Angeles evokes the round of 16 of the 1994 World Cup in the United States, which was played, coincidentally, on July 2nd. On that occasion, the Spanish team scored its last win in World Cup qualifiers by beating Switzerland by the same score in Washington. Since South Africa 2010, when it was world champion, the team had gone 16 years without winning a direct match in the 90 minutes of a World Cup and the experiences of 2014, 2018 and 2022 were buried under the audacity of the new generation of La Roja.
Many pending accounts between Spain and Portugal
Spain and Portugal maintain a close rivalry both at the European and global level. In total there are 41 matches between both teams, with 19 victories for Spainseven for Portugal and 16 draws. Equality on the scoreboard that has predominated in recent precedents. In the last seven games, five draws; two of them resolved in the penalty shootout with different results.
It was precisely from the fateful point that Portugal won the most recent clash, a year ago in the final of the League of Nations. For Spain, the best memory is the shoot-out of the 2012 Euro Cup semi-finals, which the team then led by Vicente del Bosque ended up winning, thanks to a penalty shoot-out in which they won 2-4. Another pleasant memory for Spain was the round of 16 at South Africa 2010, on the way to winning the first World Cup, in which they won 1-0 with a goal from David Villa. After the 2026 World Cup, Spain once again has a happy memory against its rival and neighbor Portugal.
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