Spain Advances to Quarter-Finals After Dramatic Late Winner
Spain secured a 1-0 victory over Portugal in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 on July 6 in Dallas, with substitute Mikel Merino scoring a 91st-minute winner. The result ended Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup career after six editions. Spain defender Marc Cucurella praised his team's performance, stating they thoroughly deserved the win.
Cucurella Highlights Teamwork and Resilience
Speaking to the host broadcaster after the match, Cucurella said, "I think we deserve this win, and we played against a top team. They have top players, and we know that at some moments we need to suffer, but I think the team deserved this win." He emphasized Spain's balance between possession and defensive discipline: "In the moments that we needed to keep the ball and play long possessions, we did it, and then in the moments that we needed to suffer, we needed to run, we needed to defend, we did it as well."
Substitutes Make the Difference
Cucurella credited the squad's unity and the impact of substitutes, noting that the goal came from two players who entered from the bench. "The most important thing is that we need to stay together, play as a family and today we showed that it's not the starting 11, probably the important players today. The goal was for two players who came from the bench, and this shows the mentality of the team," he added. Ferran Torres set up Merino for the decisive finish.
Closely Contested Match
Both teams created several chances, with Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Lamine Yamal, and Mikel Oyarzabal testing the goalkeepers. Portugal came closest in the first half when Nuno Mendes struck the crossbar. Neither side could break the deadlock until stoppage time. Portugal failed to capitalize on late opportunities, including a missed chance from Bernardo Silva. Spain will now face Belgium in the quarter-finals.
