Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has hailed Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino as 'world class', claiming he 'could play for any team in the world' after his late goal secured a 2-1 win over Belgium in the World Cup quarter-final on Friday.
Merino scored in the 88th minute to break Belgian hearts, adding to his injury-time winner against Portugal in the last-16. Spain will now face France in the semi-final on July 14.
De la Fuente praises Merino's quality
Despite starting only one game for Spain at the tournament, Merino has made a decisive impact from the bench. De la Fuente believes the 28-year-old deserves recognition among the world's best.
'Mikel has many virtues, he's a world-class footballer who could play for any national team, any club, just like he does for a top team,' De la Fuente said after the match. 'And with us, he's perfectly suited to this idea, this system. We're lucky to have him and other players. With Mikel, we know he's always there when we need him.'
Merino credits self-belief
Merino, who joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad in 2024, put his impact down to self-belief and hard work. 'I already said it in the previous match, that there are no coincidences, that when you believe in yourself, when you're eager to improve and make an impact on the game when you go out there, sometimes things just fall into your lap,' he said.
Looking ahead to the semi-final against France, Merino said: 'It's going to be an elite match, a very close one, with an incredible rivalry. Two teams that are at the peak of their game. We'll try to play a great match like last time and win again.'
Spain's journey continues
Spain's victory over Belgium saw them reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2010. Merino's two goals have been crucial, with both coming in the final minutes of knockout games. The Arsenal midfielder has played just 89 minutes across Spain's five matches but has scored twice, making him one of the tournament's most efficient scorers.
