Mikel Merino comes full circle with Spain in touching tale of fathers and sons | Sid Lowe

Having battled back from injury to make the World Cup, the matchwinner’s goal was a deserved payoff for unsung sacrifices

And then, suddenly, there was Mikel Merino circling the corner flag once again, another marvellous moment to emulate his father Ángel Miguel and embrace his son Marco. To embrace the whole of Spain, who would have hugged him back if they had the chance. Up in Pamplona especially: on the day the San Fermín fiesta began, with the city wearing white shirts and red neckerchiefs to celebrate their patron saint, they celebrated the son they had out in the US too. Merino was born there the day Spain lost against England at Euro 96; now, wearing white and red like everyone back home, he had scored the goal that sent the selección into the World Cup quarter-finals.

Normal time was up on this fascinating last-16 clash that could have been a final and the only thing cutting through the tension was the Mexican wave bafflingly going round this Arlington arena, when Merino was fouled just a few yards outside the box. There were tired men out there, but he wasn’t one of them. He had been on the pitch only six minutes and so, while others shuffled aching limbs into position, he sprang to his feet and took it quickly. The ball went to Fermín López and to Ferran Torres and back to Merino again, on the move once more. And there, inside the area, he beat Diogo Costa.

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