Merino’s super‑sub caps Spain win as he becomes Batman, Iron Man

Mikel Merino entered the Nations League clash against Croatia as a substitute on Tuesday evening and, within minutes, turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-0 victory for Spain. The thirty‑year‑old Arsenal midfielder scored the equaliser and the winner, prompting the Spanish Football Federation to liken him to Batman, Iron Man and Goku on social media.

Spain arrived in Split trailing 1-0 at half‑time. Head coach Luis de la Fuente decided to bring Merino on, trusting the player’s knack for changing games from the bench.

Goal and record

Merino’s first touch produced the equalising goal, and a minute before full‑time he struck the decisive winner. It marked his seventh goal as a substitute under de la Fuente, a tally that no other Spanish international has ever reached.

His previous substitute goals came against Germany in the Euro 2024 quarter‑finals, the Netherlands in a Nations League quarter‑final, Portugal and Belgium in the round of 16 and quarter‑final of the World Cup, and against the Czech Republic and Croatia during the recent international break.

De la Fuente praises Merino and his decisive brace in Split

Coach’s praise

De la Fuente praised Merino, saying, “We have the best players in the world in their positions and Mikel is one of them. He could play for any team on the planet.” He added, “We get a lot out of him. He knows exactly how to come on and instantly pick up the rhythm of the match, which is not easy, but he has a nose for goals.”

Merino echoed the sentiment, stating, “Scoring important goals means a lot to me. It is a great reward for all the hard work.”

Thanks to Merino’s contribution, Spain have now gone unbeaten in 42 consecutive internationals – a streak never achieved before. The coach concluded, “The aim is to keep winning; we are already 42 games unbeaten and we want to continue this run. It fills me with great pride; I am fortunate to have these players at my disposal.”