Merino Sends Spain to World Cup Semi-Finals

Mikel Merino’s amazing moment arrived once more, an entire country circling the corner flag with him as football provided another absurdly tall tale. The man who came on to score the late, late goals that took Spain into a European championship semi-final two years ago and a World Cup quarter-final four days ago, only went and did it again.

Background

Merino has a history of scoring crucial goals for Spain, including in a European championship semi-final two years ago and a World Cup quarter-final four days ago.

Key Details

And this time it was even better, his two-month old son Marco, who he has hardly seen, in attendance. “As he wasn’t there for the quarter-finals, I had to do it in the semi-final too so he could experience it as well,” Merino said. It was 1-1, the seconds were slipping from them and Spain were desperately seeking a way through when he was introduced as a sub again.

What It Means

What Merino did doesn’t make any sense. For this to happen once is dramatic enough, for it to happen twice messes with your mind, for it to happen a third blows it to bits; what is this sorcery? Merino’s goals sent Spain into the World Cup semi-finals, while Belgium rue a costly injury to Courtois.