Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has hailed Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino as a 'world class' talent who could play for any team in the world, following his decisive goal in the World Cup quarter-final against Belgium.
Merino's late heroics seal semi-final spot
Merino's 88th-minute strike secured a 2-1 victory for La Roja on Friday, continuing his knack for scoring crucial goals in the tournament. In the round of 16, he also found the net in injury time to give Spain a 1-0 win over Portugal. Spain will now face France in the semi-final on July 14.
Despite starting only one match for Spain at the World Cup, Merino has made a significant impact from the bench. De la Fuente believes the Arsenal midfielder deserves recognition among the world's best players.
De la Fuente's praise for Merino
'Mikel has many virtues, he's a world-class footballer who could play for any national team, any club, just like he does for a top team. And with us, he's perfectly suited to this idea, this system,' De la Fuente said after the win over Belgium. 'We're lucky to have him and other players. With Mikel, we know he's always there when we need him.'
Merino on self-belief and France clash
After scoring his second goal of the World Cup, Merino attributed his impact to self-belief. 'I already said it in the previous match, that there are no coincidences, that when you believe in yourself, when you're eager to improve and make an impact on the game when you go out there, sometimes things just fall into your lap,' he said.
Looking ahead to the semi-final against France, Merino added: 'It's going to be an elite match, a very close one, with an incredible rivalry. Two teams that are at the peak of their game. We'll try to play a great match like last time and win again.'
Merino also reflected on his personal journey, saying: 'On a personal level, I'm enjoying these joys even more, but it's been a different, less glamorous journey.'
