Merino rescues Spain again as Yamal waits for his World Cup moment

Mikel Merino has become Spain’s surprise match-winner at the World Cup, coming off the bench to score the decisive goal in a 2-1 quarter-final win over Belgium. It was his second straight game as a substitute hero, and it sent Spain into the semi-finals for only the second time in their history.

Merino’s rise is one of the tournament’s most unlikely stories. He was in serious doubt for the World Cup only months ago after suffering a strange stress fracture in his foot, an injury so unusual that even specialists had not seen much like it before. That kept him out for Arsenal and made his Spain place uncertain, but he recovered in time and has now become one of Luis de la Fuente’s most reliable weapons.

He also repeated the trick he produced against Portugal in the last 16, when he scored in stoppage time to settle that tie. Against Belgium, he again made the difference from the bench, showing the value of having players who can change a game late. De la Fuente praised his intelligence, commitment and versatility, saying Merino understands the game perfectly and fits Spain’s style exactly.

For Arsenal fans, none of this is particularly surprising. Merino has already shown a habit of arriving at the right moment in big games, and Mikel Arteta has even used him as a striker at club level. His goals are not flashy, but they are timely, and that is exactly why Spain trust him.

While Merino is thriving, Lamine Yamal is still waiting for his defining World Cup moment. The teenager remains hugely important because of his dribbling, pace and ability to draw defenders, but he has only one goal in six games and has not yet reproduced the dazzling impact he had at Euro 2024. That does not mean he has been poor; it simply means Spain’s headline young star has not yet fully exploded in this tournament.

That could matter more now, because Spain face a far more dangerous opponent next in France. Their defence has been outstanding — Belgium’s goal was the first they have conceded at the tournament — but France’s attacking power will be a much sterner test. Mbappe is in top form, and Spain may need Yamal to do more if they are to reach the final.

Spain remain impressive because they control games, recover the ball quickly and rarely look panicked. But against France, they will need more than organisation. Merino has already delivered the goals. Now they may need Yamal to deliver the show.