Merino: I Can't Believe What Happened, Here's My Take on Facing France

Mikel Merino, the Spanish national team player, expressed his immense happiness after leading "La Roja" to the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup, following a 2-1 victory over Belgium in the quarter-finals.

In his post-match comments, Merino said: "How do you think I feel? I still can't believe it. I thought it wouldn't happen again after it happened once, but here we are. It seems coincidences don't exist, and if you're ready, the opportunity comes back to you. I'm extremely happy."

Regarding his role as the match hero, he added: "I doubt that will happen again, we'll see what happens. There are two matches left to win the World Cup, and I hope we can achieve that."

The Spanish midfielder also spoke about the significance of reaching the World Cup semi-finals, stating: "It's more than just football; it's something that unites the entire country, and being able to bring this joy to the people is a great source of pride."

Concluding with thoughts on the upcoming clash against France in the semi-finals, Merino confirmed: "It will be a competitive match between two evenly matched teams, and we expected nothing less in a World Cup semi-final."