Merino Nets Stoppage-Time Winner, Seals Spain’s Historic Sixth Clean Sheet

Spain booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals with a dramatic stoppage-time winner from Mikel Merino, defeating Portugal 1-0 at Dallas Stadium.

The Round of 16 clash was tense and cagey, with both sides struggling to convert chances.

Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal missed a golden opportunity in the first half, while Portugal’s Nuno Mendes rattled the crossbar with a deflected strike.

Goalkeepers Diogo Costa and Unai Simón were kept busy, ensuring the contest remained goalless deep into the second half.

With extra time looming, Spain’s substitutes combined to produce the decisive moment.

Ferran Torres delivered a precise pass to Merino, who fired a low finish past Costa in the 90+1 minute.

The goal secured Spain’s sixth consecutive clean sheet, a new World Cup record, and propelled Luis De La Fuente’s side into the quarter-finals, where they will face the winners of USA vs Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium.

For Portugal, the defeat marked the end of Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup journey.

The 41-year-old confirmed before the match that this would be his final appearance on football’s biggest stage.

Ronaldo leaves the tournament having scored in six different editions, a record unmatched in the competition’s history.