Merino: ‘Just Being Here Is a Victory for Me’
Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has spoken openly about the injury scare that almost ended his World Cup before it began, and his determination to help Spain go all the way against Argentina in the 2026 final. The interview, published by The Guardian, paints a picture of a player who has turned adversity into something close to inspiration.
Merino suffered a stress fracture in his foot that left him uncertain whether he would make the tournament at all. Operated on at the end of January, he spent two months on crutches before embarking on an intensive rehabilitation. His wife — pregnant at the time — played a significant role in his recovery, physically helping him through the process. He has since described that period as one that taught him just how mentally resilient he could be.
Between January and the start of the World Cup, he managed just 28 minutes of competitive football. Since arriving in the United States, however, the 30-year-old has been anything but a passenger. He scored a 91st-minute winner against Portugal to send Spain into the quarter-finals, then repeated the feat against Belgium, coming off the bench and netting just under two minutes after stepping onto the pitch. His wife and newborn son Marco were in the stands for that second goal, having missed the Portugal match.
Those goals — along with his 119th-minute strike against Germany at Euro 2024 — have all been celebrated with the same distinctive run around the corner flag. It is a tribute to his father, Ángel Miguel, who scored a late goal in the very same Stuttgart stadium for Osasuna 33 years earlier. Asked whether a World Cup winner’s medal would settle the debate over who was the better player, Merino laughed it off: “My mum won’t buy that one, not even with a World Cup.”
Beyond the personal narrative, Merino spoke warmly about the environment Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has built — one grounded in mutual respect, where squad players like himself and Argentina forward Lautaro Martínez on the opposite side have made a genuine impact from the bench.
Spain will face Argentina in the final having followed a different pre-match routine from the famous 2010 squad, who famously shared hot chocolate and croissants the night before their triumph. Nutritionists, Merino noted drily, have put paid to that tradition.
For UK bettors tracking Spain’s run, the World Cup 2026 hub has all the latest coverage, and you can follow the live standings as the tournament reaches its climax.