🔗 Share this article Merino's Brace Fuels Spain's Scoring Run in Dominant Victory Over Bulgaria Everything started in Scotland and this impressive streak remains unbroken. That fateful evening at Hampden represented merely Luis de la Fuente's second as Spain's head coach; many believed it could prove to be his last match in charge. Although a pair of Scott McTominay goals defeating the Spanish national team, while virtually everyone anticipated his spell would be short-lived, De la Fuente talked about a pathway emerging - and interestingly, the manager previously criticized of being unrealistic turned out right. Three years and four days, Spain moved to within touching distance of global football participation, while simultaneously racking up their twenty-ninth straight competitive game without defeat, matching the historic record. Midfield Masterclass and Decisive Contribution On a night when the Barcelona midfielder featured and Mikel Merino created the difference, Spain overcame Bulgaria 4-0 to secure 12 points from twelve in World Cup qualification, edging closer. The Gunners' midfielder and occasional striker netted the opening two goals and might have earned his second consecutive hat-trick in three recent Spain appearances but after brought down in the closing minute, he generously handed the penalty to Mikel Oyarzabal instead. Therefore it was the Real Sociedad attacker, goal-getter of the decisive goal in the European Championship showpiece, who continued the remarkable sequence, equaling what Vicente del Bosque's golden generation achieved between 2010 and 2013. Record Equaled Now, readers may have noticed the asterisk, and correctly so. Although FIFA might not count it as a loss, during this impressive run Spain did suffer defeat once – seven-five on penalties to Portugal in the Nations League decider back in June. Yet officially at least, this present team has matched that historic squad against which all Spanish national teams are measured. Win in Georgia in a month and the record will be exclusively theirs. En route they won the Nations League in 2023, the European Championships in 2024 and advanced to a Nations League final in 2025; they head toward 2026 sitting number one, among the frontrunners once more, just like old times. Complete Domination This was "only" versus Bulgaria, it is true, just as previous encounters against Georgia, Bulgaria, and Turkey but that's four victories from four outings, aggregate score fifteen-zero. There were two moments immediately after La Selección obtained their first two goals – the third strike being an own goal – but ultimately their rivals had not been allowed a solitary shot on target. The total statistics read: thirty-three to three, Spain demonstrably playing as Spain. Bulgaria's coach had confessed the only objective his team could have was to resist as long as possible. Ultimately, that defensive effort lasted 33 minutes, and Merino's header constituted Spain's 18th attempt on target already. Pedri's Masterclass This performance was about all of them, but at the core of it was Pedri, everywhere and nowhere simultaneously: everywhere for Spain, absent for Bulgaria, unable to detect him as he darted through their defense. He executed one hundred and one passes by the time he was withdrawn to a rapturous applause on 66 minutes, and his were the moments of utmost subtlety, the finest touches and the most incisive too. When the José Zorrilla sang his name midway the opening period, he had just slipped unnoticed into the area once more, chipping his shot over Svetoslav Vutsov and onto the woodwork, but it was not only that. He had previously lifted a magnificent pass into Álex Baena to strike wide and pulled an additional back from which Baena was blocked. Continued Pressure A disguised pass had set Samu Aghehowa up for what should have been the opener, and a neat pass saw Oyarzabal mishit his shot. He received a opportunity of his own only to fail to find a clean connection, striking wide. But then, almost immediately after, he floated another ball in. This time Robin Le Normand headed across and Merino directed in. Spain, who had eighty-eight percent of the possession, then had the lead. The heat map appeared like they had run out of marking paint midway through and a little later Aghehowa could have made it two-nil. Brief Resistance But then in part it's the uncertainty, even the injustice, that makes football great. And the first time Bulgaria advanced into Spain's half they could have leveled the score, Kiril Despodov suddenly breaking away and striking the side-netting. Introduced for Aghehowa at the half-time, Borja Iglesias had multiple chances in as many minutes before Merino scored again. The cross from the left flank was superb from Álex Grimaldo and there, jumping above everyone, was Merino to power the header down and sprint to do laps around the flagpost. Closing Stages Similar to their reaction after the opener, Bulgaria survived once more, Despodov sent through and putting his and their following shot wide and nevertheless the first time the visitors had a shot on target it was at the incorrect goal, Atanas Chernev turning into his team's goal. Yet it was not quite finished, Merino fouled in the legs and allowing to let Oyarzabal blast in the 99th goal of De la Fuente's ongoing reign.