Spain defeated Iberian rivals Portugal 1-0 in their round-of-16 match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Dallas on Monday, July 6, 2026.
The victory secured Spain's place in the quarterfinals.
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Substitute Mikel Merino scored the decisive goal in second-half stoppage time. He connected with a pass from Ferran Torres to beat Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
The win sets up a quarterfinal clash for Spain against either the United States or Belgium.
Portugal's Tournament Ends
The defeat marked the end of Portugal's World Cup campaign. Head coach Roberto Martinez announced his resignation following the match.
"I came to Portugal to win the World Cup and I think that, without winning it, there's no point in continuing," Martinez said.
He confirmed that his contract with the federation had ended.
"The board and the president now have the opportunity to choose the new manager... my contract ends today," he added.
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Martinez expressed gratitude for his time with the team.
Captain Cristiano Ronaldo made his 27th and final World Cup appearance in the match.
Spain's defensive performance was notable.
They recorded their sixth consecutive clean sheet, becoming the first team in World Cup history to achieve this without conceding a goal in the tournament.
The tournament has now seen 10 late-minute winners scored in either the 90th or 120th minute.
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This is the highest number of late goals recorded in a single edition of the FIFA World Cup.
