Luis de la Fuente, the coach of the Spanish national team, praised the role of the substitute players during the match against Portugal.
The Spanish national team qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup after achieving an exciting victory over Portugal with a 1-0 win in the round of 16.
Luis de la Fuente said via the FIFA website: "The decisive players were the substitutes, and I told Merino to play as usual, as his role is to support the midfielders and attackers."
He emphasized, "We were thinking with him about giving the team the necessary rhythm and energy during this match."
De la Fuente concluded his statements, "The impact of the substitute players was amazing, and this is due to having 26 players at a very high level."
The Portuguese national team exited the tournament from the round of 16, while everyone is awaiting Ronaldo's final decision regarding his international future after a remarkable career with the national team.
The Spanish national team won in the dying moments against Portugal with a goal by substitute Mikel Merino, in the match held at Dallas Stadium.
Thus, the Spanish national team qualifies to face the winner of the USA vs. Belgium match.
So far, five teams have qualified for the quarter-finals: Morocco, France, Norway, England, and Spain.
