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Spain left it late to book their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with substitute Mikel Merino scoring a dramatic stoppage-time winner to secure a 1-0 victory over Portugal at Dallas Stadium.

The Arsenal midfielder needed just six minutes after coming off the bench to make the decisive contribution. Receiving a perfectly weighted pass from fellow substitute Ferran Torres, Merino composed himself before slotting beyond Diogo Costa in the 91st minute, sending Spain into the last eight and ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup campaign.

The result sends Luis de la Fuente’s side into a quarter-final meeting with either the United States or Belgium, while Portugal’s hopes of lifting the World Cup for the first time came to an agonising end.

Spain controlled much of the opening stages and nearly found an early breakthrough after just eight minutes. Mikel Oyarzabal timed his run brilliantly to beat the offside trap and collect Dani Olmo’s through ball, but the forward dragged his effort comfortably wide of the post.

Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa was quickly called into action. He produced an excellent save to deny Lamine Yamal’s curling strike before reacting sharply to keep out Álex Baena’s follow-up effort, preserving the deadlock during Spain’s dominant spell.

Portugal gradually settled into the contest and nearly responded through their captain. Cristiano Ronaldo connected instinctively with João Félix’s cross, forcing Unai Simón into an excellent save. Moments later, Nuno Mendes came even closer when his powerful strike from a cleverly worked corner routine took a deflection and crashed against the crossbar.

Mendes was one of Portugal’s standout performers, particularly for the way he contained the threat of Yamal throughout the first half. However, the Paris Saint-Germain full-back was forced off injured shortly after the break, a turning point that allowed Spain’s teenage star to find greater freedom against replacement Nelson Semedo.

Yamal soon tested Costa again with a well-struck free-kick that was tipped over the crossbar, while Bruno Fernandes came closest for Portugal after driving narrowly into the side netting. Despite those moments, clear-cut opportunities became increasingly rare as both sides appeared destined for extra time.

Luis de la Fuente’s substitutions ultimately proved decisive.

With six minutes remaining in normal time, Ferran Torres and Mikel Merino entered the match in place of Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal. Deep into stoppage time, Torres received Rodri’s pass before threading an intelligent through ball into Merino’s path. The midfielder remained composed, waited for Costa to commit, and calmly guided his finish into the bottom-left corner to settle the contest.

The goal was another example of Spain’s remarkable depth, with two substitutes combining to produce the tournament’s latest dramatic moment.

For Portugal, the defeat also marked the end of an extraordinary era. Ronaldo had confirmed before the match that the 2026 tournament would be his final World Cup. Although the 41-year-old could not add to his tally of 11 World Cup goals, he still leaves the competition with a remarkable legacy.

Across six World Cups, Ronaldo made 27 appearances and became the first men’s player to score in six different editions of the tournament. He also finishes with 25 World Cup starts, second only to Lionel Messi, while remaining Portugal’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer.

Despite those achievements, the World Cup remains the one major trophy missing from his collection.

Spain’s victory was built as much on defensive discipline as attacking patience. Ronaldo’s early volley represented the first shot on target Spain had faced during the opening half of a match throughout the tournament. From there, the European champions steadily regained control and rarely looked vulnerable.

Portugal failed to register a single shot on target after halftime, producing just five attempts in the second period, with two arriving in stoppage time as they desperately chased an equaliser. Overall, Roberto Martínez’s side generated an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.60 from 10 shots.

Spain, by comparison, created the clearer opportunities throughout the contest. They finished with 15 attempts worth 1.77 expected goals, reflecting their territorial dominance and sustained attacking pressure.

The victory also saw Spain continue to rewrite the World Cup record books. They became the first team in tournament history to keep six consecutive clean sheets, extending their shutout streak to more than 10 hours of World Cup football.

Merino’s winner was the 10th goal scored in the 90th minute or later at the 2026 World Cup, the highest total recorded in a single edition of the competition. It was also only Spain’s second 90th-minute winning goal in World Cup history and their 11th 1-0 victory at the tournament, with only Germany and Brazil recording more.

For Portugal, the defeat continues a disappointing trend. They have now been eliminated in six of their last eight World Cup knockout matches and missed the opportunity to reach consecutive quarter-finals for the first time.

Spain, meanwhile, continue to strengthen their credentials as genuine contenders. Combining defensive resilience with an enviable depth of talent, they once again found a different match-winner when it mattered most. On a night that closed the curtain on Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career, it was Mikel Merino who delivered the defining moment.