The team-oriented matadors return to the World Cup semifinals after 16 years!

Written by Han Bing. At the 87:27 mark, Merino seized on Lammens' fumble to score the decisive goal, plunging Spain into a bullfight-like ecstasy. The celebration of Merino running around the corner flag, akin to the "Viking rowing" gesture for Norway, became a classic moment for Spain and the tournament. Spain, whose strength lies in defense, lacks a prolific striker but possesses Merino as a super-sub "ace" for late winners.

Thanks to Merino's winner, Spain beat Belgium 2-1 to reach the World Cup semifinals for the first time in 16 years. In the semifinals, Spain must face the ultimate test against France, the top favorite for the title.

The match between Spain and Belgium was full of surprises. Belgian captain and midfield core Tielemans got injured during warm-up, with Vanaken replacing him. Courtois, who had been outstanding, injured himself in the second half, and his replacement Lammens made a fatal fumble near the end. However, as Belgium coach Rudy Garcia said after the match, Spain won through teamwork rather than a flash of individual brilliance: "The core of Spain's success is the collective, and it's De la Fuente who made the team function well."

De la Fuente's two tactical adjustments in the first and second halves played crucial roles. He started Fabian Ruiz in place of Pedri, and the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder justified the coach's decision within 30 minutes: Yamal and Porro initiated an attack, Olmo's shot was saved by Courtois, and Ruiz's follow-up broke the deadlock. Spain's overall superiority was evident, as Belgium, missing midfield key Tielemans, was completely dominated. With 68% possession, Spain relied on Yamal's excellent technique and dribbling to contain Belgium's defense.

Although Belgium equalized in the 41st minute through a counterattack, with De Bruyne providing a through ball and Castagne crossing for De Ketelaere to score, Spain's dominance was clear. Courtois made several saves, denying three promising shots from Yamal and a narrow-angle effort from Oyarzabal. However, fortune favored Spain when Courtois was injured in the 71st minute and replaced by Lammens. Earlier, Spain coach De la Fuente had brought on Ferran Torres and Pedri to boost the attack, and after Courtois' injury, he introduced Nico Williams and Merino, aiming to seal the win in regular time. Merino once again proved to be the decisive substitution, scoring the winner less than two minutes after coming on, capitalizing on Lammens' fumble.

This is Spain's third time reaching the World Cup semifinals since 1950; the last time they did so in 2010, they went on to win the title. The 1950 World Cup featured a final round-robin group, meaning this is actually Spain's second-ever World Cup semifinal appearance. After the match, Spain's performance earned widespread praise from pundits and media, including Belgium coach Rudy Garcia. Garcia said Spain's strength lies in their collective play, with no obvious weakness in any line: "Spain is almost built around the core that won Euro 2024, with a stable main lineup and top-tier technical-tactical ability. They are a favorite to win the tournament."

Statistics show that Spain tops many passing metrics in this World Cup. While De la Fuente maintains the traditional possession-based style, his real success lies in defense. De Ketelaere's goal was Spain's first conceded in the tournament. With two matches remaining, they could finish with fewer goals conceded than in their Euro 2024 winning campaign (4 goals). Their clean sheet record in the group stage already surpasses the defensive performance of their 2010 World Cup-winning team (2 goals conceded).

For Spain, reaching the World Cup semifinals after 16 years took just 115 seconds and one touch. Merino entered as a substitute at 85:32, and at 87:27, his first touch scored the winner. He became the fastest goal-scoring substitute in Spanish national team history, surpassing Saura (159 seconds) who scored in the 1982 World Cup against Yugoslavia. This Spanish team can largely be called the "Merino Miracle" squad. The 1.89m defensive midfielder, who turned 30 during the World Cup, gave all of Spain a three-week-long Father's Day celebration.

This year, June 21 was Father's Day in the West, and Merino's birthday falls on June 22. The celebration of running a lap around the corner flag was his father Angel's signature move during his playing days. Two years ago, after scoring the winner against Germany in the Euro quarterfinal, Merino made the same gesture to honor his father. This time, however, the celebration carried additional meaning. On July 7, when he scored the winner against Portugal, it coincided with the opening of the San Fermín bull-running festival in his hometown; he mentioned in a post-match interview that the celebration was also related to that. Furthermore, two and a half months ago, Merino became a father himself. Four days earlier, when he scored the winner against Portugal, his son Marco was not present. This time, his family was in the stands for the Belgium match, so the celebration was also dedicated to his son.

This was Merino's 12th goal in 49 international appearances. As a defensive midfielder, he was not originally known for scoring. After his debut in September 2020, he did not score his first goal until his 17th match, a Euro qualifier against Cyprus. Merino's true breakout began in March 2025, in the first leg of the Nations League quarterfinal against the Netherlands. He came on in the 84th minute and scored an equalizer in stoppage time. From that point, his goal-scoring potential was unleashed. In less than 16 months, he has scored 10 goals in 18 international matches, a tally only surpassed by his Basque compatriot Oyarzabal (15 goals) during the same period, and exceeding the combined total of three forwards: Yamal (4), Ferran Torres (3), and Nico Williams (2).

During the same period, the team's top scorer Oyarzabal failed to find the net in two consecutive knockout matches, while supersub "ace" Merino played the decisive role. Merino's role as a supersub began four years ago in a World Cup quarterfinal against Germany, where he came on in the 80th minute and scored the winner in the 119th minute of extra time. Later, in the 2025 Nations League quarterfinal, he came off the bench to equalize against the Netherlands. Including this World Cup, this is the fourth time he has entered late in a match and scored a decisive goal.

Merino has become Spain's superhero, but just months ago he almost missed the World Cup due to a foot stress fracture. He only returned to the pitch one month before the tournament. After four matches to regain his rhythm, Merino activated his goal-scoring instinct at the crucial moment. Spain coach De la Fuente praised him highly after the match: "Merino has many qualities; it's an honor to have him. We know he is always reliable and will step up in key moments. He can be the best forward and midfielder because of his understanding of the game, his dedication, and his passion."

Humble Merino also credited the team after the match: "This is the result of teamwork. Everyone was exhausted at the end, so it was my turn to deliver the finishing blow. I had thought about whether I could score another winner, but that requires luck and belief." With Merino as their trump card off the bench, Spain remains confident heading into the semifinals.