​For almost any side aiming for success, the formula is simple: match winners across the lineup. Spain are proving they have them, with Mikel Merino delivering once again off the bench to send the European champions into the World Cup semi-finals. The Arsenal midfielder came on as a super sub for the second consecutive game and netted the decisive goal, this time sealing a 2-1 victory over Belgium. That win moves Spain into the last four of the tournament for only the second time in their history; the previous time they reached this stage, in 2010, they went on to lift the trophy.
Merino’s latest heroics have set up a clash with France for a place in the final, and a tantalising duel ahead features Kylian Mbappe against Lamine Yamal, who, unlike the Frenchman, is still waiting to make his mark at this World Cup. Few players relish the role of super sub—a reputation built on coming off the bench and changing the game—yet many would rather be in the starting XI. Merino, though, has embraced the arc of this World Cup journey and the chance to influence games late on.
Just a few months ago, simply being part of Spain’s World Cup squad felt unlikely for him. In January, he sustained an unusual foot injury—a stress fracture in a region even doctors had not seen before. The injury kept him out for Arsenal and cast serious doubt over his World Cup prospects; he could not return to action for the Gunners until about a month before the tournament began. Not only did Merino return to earn his place in the Spain squad, but he has also proven to be an indispensable figure in their run to the last four. He struck in stoppage time to eliminate Portugal in the round of 16 and repeated the late heroics against Belgium.
“Mikel is incredible,” Spain manager Luis de la Fuente said after the quarter-final victory. “He has many qualities. He is a player who, across the whole World Cup, could have played in any team and done well.” For the Spain boss, Merino embodies the standard of their approach and the model they want to follow. “It is a pleasure to have him, and others, but especially him. We know that without fail he is always there.” The truth is, Merino is always there in the clutch moments, delivering when it matters most.
Yet Merino himself admitted he had feared he might not be fit enough for this World Cup. “The fact of being here a few months ago was unthinkable,” he said after the Portugal win. “Now I am, as I said before, at the highest point, enjoying one of the happiest moments of my career.” He recalled the difficult times, the people who supported him, and those who pushed him when even he doubted he could reach this point.
Merino’s heroics will be a familiar sight for Arsenal fans, who have seen him deliver similar performances for the Gunners. Traditionally a midfielder, his height has seen him used as a striker by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, and his first taste of that role came when he came off the bench to score twice against Leicester City, a moment that has fed the belief in his capabilities as a versatile attacking option. Now, at the World Cup, he has shown that he can be a decisive factor from the bench, providing depth, goals, and momentum at the most crucial moments.