Spain beat Portugal 1-0 to reach 2026 World Cup quarter-finals

Spain beat Portugal 1-0 to reach 2026 World Cup quarter-finals

Spain advanced to the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals after a stoppage-time goal from Mikel Merino secured a 1-0 victory over Portugal. The result ends the World Cup campaign for Portugal and likely marks the international retirement of 41-year-old captain Cristiano Ronaldo.

The breakthrough arrived in the final moments of the match. Spain executed a quick free-kick where Fabián Ruiz found Ferran Torres, who provided a deft pass to send Merino through on goal. The Arsenal midfielder kept his composure to fire a low left-footed shot into the bottom-left corner, beating goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

The match was a tight affair characterized by defensive resilience. Spain controlled 59% of the possession in the first half and recorded seven shots, three of which were on target. Portugal remained disciplined at the back, with Costa producing several critical saves to keep the game scoreless through the first 45 minutes.

Early in the match, Spain missed a significant opportunity when Mikel Oyarzabal raced behind the defense onto a perfectly weighted through ball from Dani Olmo. Believing he was offside, Oyarzabal produced a tame effort that rolled wide of the net, though the offside flag remained down.

Portugal found their best chance of the first half through Nuno Mendes. After working a corner short, Mendes unleashed a strike that deflected off Pedro Porro and crashed against the crossbar. Portugal also threatened when Ronaldo attempted a flick toward goal following a rebound from a João Félix shot, but Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón managed to scramble back and stop the effort.

The second half saw Portugal attempt to seize control of the tempo, with Pedro Neto finding space on the right flank. However, Portugal suffered a significant blow when Nuno Mendes was forced off the pitch due to an injury after attempting to cut out a Lamine Yamal cutback. Nélson Semedo replaced the injured left-back.

Spain continued to press, with 18-year-old Lamine Yamal attempting a curling free-kick that was tipped over the bar by Costa. Álex Baena also tested the Portuguese keeper with a left-footed effort from the edge of the box, though it lacked the power to beat Costa.

Portugal’s attack struggled to find a clinical finish. Bruno Fernandes was noted for a disappointing showing, failing to impact the game significantly despite a volley that missed the target. Ronaldo, fighting for a defining moment in his farewell campaign, saw a tight-angle shot saved by Simón and later struggled with a high cross from João Cancelo.

The physical nature of the contest led to the game's only yellow card, issued to Bernardo Silva for a late challenge on Diogo Dalot. Silva later nearly equalized with a header following a cross, but the effort sailed over the crossbar.

Spain enters the quarter-finals having extended an unbeaten streak that now reaches 34 matches, consisting of 25 wins and 9 draws. This victory follows their previous Round of 32 win over Austria, where they cruised to a 3-0 victory.

Portugal's exit follows a dramatic Round of 32 match in which they edged Croatia 2-1. They had previously finished second in Group K with five points, recording wins over Uzbekistan and draws against DR Congo and Colombia.

The victory maintains Spain's momentum as they move deeper into the knockout stages. For Portugal, the loss concludes a journey that saw them battle through the group stages and a tense opening knockout round, ultimately falling in the closing seconds of their encounter with La Roja.