It took an unexpected hero for Spain to beat a major tournament host for the first time in their history, but it was the most fitting one.
Mikel Merino took Germany down in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals with a dramatic 119th-minute header that silenced the home fans in Stuttgart and clinched a 2-1 win.
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“Honestly, I took two or three seconds to realise what had just happened,” Merino said after the game. “I headed the ball and the stadium went quiet. Then I opened my eyes, and instantly saw the ball in the back of the net.”
It still took a few seconds for the rest of the Spain team, players on the bench and backroom staff, to run across half the pitch to celebrate the defining goal. In the middle of the mayhem, though, Merino had a clear idea of what he needed to do next.
As everyone was returning to their places, the 28-year-old jogged towards the nearest corner flag and started circling it in some sort of dance. As strange as it looked, it turned out to be a well-planned tribute.
The story behind it dates back to November 1991, when Spanish side Osasuna visited Stuttgart in a UEFA Cup second-round game. Osasuna won 3-2 to progress to the next round on a memorable night for the club. The second goal of the game was scored by Miguel Merino, who spent nine years in Spain’s top flight between 1988 and 1997, and is Mikel’s father.
Miguel celebrated his goal in 1991 by circling the corner flag in the same fashion his son replicated seconds after scoring one of the most important goals in their country’s history. Mikel was born in Pamplona during the years his dad played in the city, before progressing through Osasuna’s academy and into the first team.
Miguel has now lost the only thing he still could boast about to his son.
“I had to score a goal here so my dad had to stop making fun of me,” joked the 28-year-old Real Sociedad midfielder. “He was saying all the time that he was the only Merino to score in Stuttgart. Well, now he’ll not be able to brag about this.
“After the game, I celebrated a bit in the dressing room and then had a very quick shower to go out and celebrate with my parents, who were in the ground. It has to be the most important goal of my life.
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“Stuttgart will always have a special place in my heart now. It is where my dad scored for my boyhood club. It is also the city where I made my debut for Spain back in 2020, and now this.”
🇪🇸 Merino in the final seconds to win the quarter-final… 🥵#EUROLastMinute | @Hublot pic.twitter.com/Yn4A1hi9Qz
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 5, 2024
The goal arrived at a fitting time for Merino, who has an interesting summer in front of him. His contract at Real Sociedad has a year to run and negotiations over a new deal have stalled.
If La Real do not find a way to readdress the talks, they might be forced into considering the sale of one of their most important players — and he will not be short of suitors.
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Barcelona are one of the clubs monitoring his situation, although the Catalans are still waiting to solve their financial struggles. Premier League clubs are among the admirers too, with Arsenal tracking him.
After a short spell at Newcastle United in 2017, where he shared a dressing room with Spain squad members Ayoze Perez and Joselu, Merino has established himself as one of La Liga’s most complete midfielders at La Real since joining in 2018. Last season, he played 45 games, scored eight goals and delivered five assists.
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Merino’s dream night in Stuttgart was the success of Luis de la Fuente’s approach to team spirit and his back-up players when things were not looking good.
Spain entered extra time with their biggest attacking threats out of the team — De la Fuente had replaced Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Alvaro Morata before the end of 90 minutes as they tried to see out a 1-0 lead. After Florian Wirtz’s equaliser, Spain found themselves in the position of needing a goal to beat Germany with a frontline of Mikel Oyarzabal, Joselu and Ferran Torres, who had all been introduced from the bench.
Concerns and criticisms started to pile up in the Spanish media about the manager’s decisions, even during the game. But De la Fuente had the last laugh as his changes did not cost Spain the game, they delivered a ticket to the semi-finals.
Dani Olmo merits a special mention. He was deservedly named player of the match. RB Leipzig’s star came on after Pedri’s early injury, scored the opener and set Merino up for the last-gasp winner. Olmo had two shots on target (the most in the game), won eight out of his 13 duels and led Spain’s attack when he was needed — especially tormenting Joshua Kimmich on the right flank in extra time.
After Pedri’s knee injury, which may rule the Barcelona midfielder out of the rest of Euro 2024, Olmo will become a starter and a fundamental piece in De la Fuente’s plans — a status that only a minor injury before the Euros prevented him from having earlier.
Olmo is one of the players in this squad who is expected to switch clubs this summer. His contract includes a €60million release clause that can be triggered until July 15. No offer has been submitted yet, but those who remain close to the player, speaking to The Athletic on condition of anonymity to protect relationships, admit their plan is to play for another club next season.
🇪🇸 Scored. Assisted. Ran the attack.
What a performance from Dani Olmo 👏@Vivo_GLOBAL | #EUROPOTM pic.twitter.com/yFGSaweEPy
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 5, 2024
“We are destroyed, but what a team this is,” Olmo said after Spain’s 2-1 win. “In the dying minutes of the game we play with the heart. That’s how we got what our legs could not reach. In the last play of the game I saw Joselu running towards the penalty spot and Merino crashing the box from the second line. I thought I had to cross it, and then Merino’s quality did the rest.
“I am so proud to see how we fight until the end. There are no individuals here, for us this tournament is all about being defined by the team.”
(Top photo: Alex Caparros – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
