Mikel Merino’s goal performance against Germany was more than meets the eye.
On Friday, the Real Sociedad midfielder came off the bench for Spain to score a stunning winning header in the quarter-final victory over Germany, the hosts of Euro 2024. Merino celebrated the goal and the victory by paying tribute to his father, Angel.
He sprinted to and around the corner flag, thrust his head into the sky and let out a shout of victory, sealing Spain’s place in the semi-finals.
33 years ago, former La Liga player Angel staged the exact same celebration at the MHP Arena during the 1991 UEFA Cup.
Against Stuttgart, the Merino brothers took a 2-0 lead in the second round and their team went on to win 3-2.
“I’m dead, the adrenaline is getting to me, it was a special moment,” Mikel said after the win. From The Sun.
The moment further strengthened Merino’s special relationship with the stadium since making his Spain debut in a 1-1 draw with Germany in 2020.
“We scored in the 119th minute but we had the unity behind it. To lose the equaliser in the 90th minute hurt but we deserved it,” Merino added. “It was the game we were all waiting for, between the two best teams in the world. It could be a Euro final or a World Cup final.”
“We know the pain. We have a great team. There is something about this stadium that makes us lucky. My father scored a goal here and I made my debut here.”
