Portugal vs. Spain Player Ratings: Merino Dashes Ronaldo’s World Cup Dream

Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time strike saw La Roja past their Iberian neighbors in Dallas.

Mikel Merino’s cool finish proved decisive. | Thomas COEX/AFP/Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup journey drew to a close in Dallas, as Mikel Merino’s late strike saw Spain past Portugal 1–0 in the round of 16 on Monday.

The World Cup knockout stages have delivered in abundance thus far, but this was a far cry from some of the melodrama we’ve been subjected to.

The Iberian neighbors played out a chess match at the home of the Dallas Cowboys, with slow, long spells of possession only occasionally lit up by a change in tempo. The superstars on both sides failed to deliver, but Luis de la Fuente will nonetheless be encouraged by the fact that substitute Merino proved decisive.

The contest seemed destined for extra time after a lifeless second half until Merino’s clever run was found by Ferran Torres, another who had an impact off the bench. The Arsenal man coolly slotted beyond Diogo Costa to send the European champions—deserved winners on the balance of play— into the last eight.

Spain will now face the winner of USA-Belgium on Friday in Los Angeles.

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One Thing We Can’t Ignore

Cristiano Ronaldo has played his final World Cup match. | RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images

"We’re two teams with very similar characteristics. In every respect," Spain manager Luis de la Fuente commented pre-match, accurately projecting a tight encounter with its Iberian neighbor.

These two teams almost mirror one another in profile, with Portugal’s talent certainly on the same pedestal as the talent of the European champion. Portugal is inhibited, though, by a manager who continues to underwhelm despite being blessed with all the tools to win the highest honors.

Roberto Martínez’s unwavering faith in Ronaldo was tested in the round of 32 against Croatia, as the 41-year-old had not had a moment of respite after three 90-minute outings in the group stage. Many questioned whether Martínez would pivot to Gonçalo Ramos for the starting lineup, but he instead doubled down. The Paris Saint-Germain star, Portugal’s match-winner last time out, could only watch on as Ronaldo attempted to masquerade as his younger, brighter and perhaps more tolerable self.

"In the end, whoever manages to take advantage of the small details in the match will be the winner. And I hope that team will be Portugal. That’s my feeling, and I believe we will win," Ronaldo erroneously asserted on Sunday.

He wasn’t exactly a great hindrance here, but there was never a sense that Ronaldo was ever going to lift his mightily talented team beyond stern opposition in Dallas. He’s good for cheap strikes against minnows, but impact against the elite has long deserted Portugal’s record goalscorer.

Ronaldo has said that this forgettable venture would be his last on the grandest stage, and let’s hope he sticks to his word, for Portugal’s sake. We don’t need to see any more of this.

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Portugal Player Ratings vs. Spain (4-2-3-1)

Portugal’s defense was unaided by its flat frontline. | Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Diogo Costa—7.8: Portugal’s No. 1 was drawn into a couple of fine saves in quick succession to keep Spain at bay in the first half, but was beaten at the last by Merino.

RB: João Cancelo—6.7: Cancelo’s technical security eluded him at times in the face of Spanish pressure, and he ought to have produced more in the final third, given the positions he found himself in.

CB: Rúben Dias—6.4: Marshalled an aggressive defensive line that was grateful for Spain’s lack of willing runners in behind. Made an excellent block to deny Dani Olmo in the closing stages. Drawn out of position during Spain’s goal sequence

CB: Renato Veiga—6.8: Yamal’s isolation meant Veiga was effectively able to offer Mendes support when necessary. Looked at ease throughout, making a few impressive contributions.

LB: Nuno Mendes—6.8: There’s a reason why he’s regarded as the best leftback on the planet. He was superb against the very best again in Dallas, but Yamal’s first beating of Mendes led to the injury that forced his withdrawal.

CM: Vitinha—6.5: As superb as he is, Vitinha can get a little lost in games like these (when his team doesn’t monopolize possession).

CM: João Neves—7.1: Occasionally dropped onto Portugal’s backline, tracking Dani Olmo diligently. Neves buzzed around and was disruptive out of possession when his team settled into their defensive shape. Trouble arose in transition.

RW: Pedro Neto—6.5: Much of Portugal’s threat arrived down the opposite flank, with Neto removed having barely been noticed.

AM: Bruno Fernandes—6.7: Fernandes marauded around AT&T Stadium intent on influencing proceedings, but his sprite opening quickly faded.

LW: João Féliex—6.9: A useful attacking outlet who probed throughout with clever passes and crosses. However, he was picked from the start for his defensive effort, and his work on that front should be lauded.

ST: Cristiano Ronaldo—6.4: Ronaldo’s final World Cup outing was fittingly forgettable.

SUB: Nelson Semedo (56’ for Mendes)—6.0: Martínez took a risk by playing him on the left when he came on, but Semedo just about held up against Yamal.

SUB: Diogo Dalot (71’ for Cancelo)—6.2: A quiet cameo.

SUB: Rafael Leão (71’ for Félix)—6.5: Looked like he had the beating of Porro, but wasn’t given enough chances to do significant damage.

SUB: Bernardo Silva (83’ for Vitinha)—N/A

SUB: Francisco Conceição (83’ for Neto)—N/A

Subs not used: José Sá (GK), Rui Silva (GK), Tomas Araújo, Matheus Nunes, Gonçalo Ramos, Gonçalo Inácio, Francisco Trincão, Gonçalo Guedes, Rúben Neves, Samú Costa.

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Spain Player Ratings vs. Portugal (4-2-3-1)

Rodri held down the fort in midfield. | Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Unai Simón—8.3: After breaking Walter Zenga’s 36-year-old record last time out, Simón once again proved impenetrable.

RB: Pedro Porro—7.6: Relieved that he faced off against João Félix from the outset, even if Portugal’s starting left winger had a fine game. Porro could’ve offered more support in attack, given his skill set and Félix’s limited threat in transition.

CB: Pau Cubarsí—6.9: A relatively quiet defensive outing for Cubarsí, who was characteristically assured in possession but would’ve liked to have been more accurate when he tried to penetrate Portugal’s high defensive line.

CB: Aymeric Laporte—6.7: Nerveless at the tournament so far, and was only occasionally ruffled here, producing a couple of unforced errors.

LB: Marc Cucurella—7.1: Cucurella once again operated high and wide, having recorded a pair of assists against Austria, but wasn’t anywhere near as effective this time around.

DM: Rodri—8.1: Rodri’s steady World Cup continued in Dallas. Rodri wasn’t overwhelmed by the talent in Portugal’s engine room and was productive defensively. Only occasionally hurt his opponents in possession, though.

DM: Pedri—7.0: A mixed bag for Pedri, who ticked things over for Spain during their most dynamic sequences, but was also responsible for giving the ball away carelessly at times.

AM: Dani Olmo—6.9: A bright spark throughout, with his ability to play off one and two touches allowing Spain to combine efficiently in central areas.

RW: Lamine Yamal—7.5: Locked up by Mendes and didn’t take advantage of his premature substitution through injury. Yamal, simply put, was off the pace.

ST: Mikel Oyarzabal—6.9: Entered this tie in excellent form and was gifted a wonderful early chance by Olmo, which he surprisingly squandered. He was borderline hopeless in Dallas.

LW: Alex Baena—7.4: Baena tested Costa early with a curling effort from the edge of the box, but that was as good as it got for the Atlético Madrid man, who was the first Spaniard withdrawn. Luis de la Fuente turned to a runner.

SUB: Ferran Torres (75’ for Baena)—6.7: Too keen to impress last time out, but was excellent off the bench here, teeing up the winning moment.

SUB: Fabián Ruiz (85’ for Pedri)—N/A

SUB: Mikel Merino (85’ for Olmo)—N/A

SUB: Borja Iglesias (90’ for Oyarzabal)—N/A

Subs not used: David Raya (GK), Joan García (GK), Eric García, Marcos Llorente, Alex Grimaldo, Martín Zubimendi, Víctor Muñoz, Yéremy Pino, Gavi.

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What the Ratings Tell Us

Yamal and Mendes locked horns. | MB Media/Getty Images

• Lamine Yamal and Nuno Mendes are starting to grow familiar with one another. The pair rank as the very best at their respective positions, and Mendes, so far, has enjoyed the better of their duels. He dominated the Spanish superstar in last year’s UEFA Nations League final, and was well on top in Dallas, albeit against a still-recovering Yamal. The winger sought connections that never arrived, with Mendes a masterful defender one-on-one thanks to his sound technique and imposing physicality. It wasn’t until the start of the second half that Yamal clearly beat the left back, and Mendes’s recovery cost him his place in proceedings. Still, it was an enthralling duel while it lasted.
• Roberto Martínez was unsure who to partner Rúben Dias with at the tournament, but his decision to pick the understated Renato Veiga proved to be astute. Primarily used at leftback in Chelsea blue, Veiga impressed at the heart of Villarreal’s defense last season and carried that form into the World Cup. Still only 22 and impressing in a premium position, don’t be surprised if Veiga soon returns to the limelight, potentially on English shores.
• The superstars have certainly shown up at this World Cup, but Iberia’s most lucrative talent failed to come to the fore in Dallas. It wasn’t just Yamal. Pedri, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes and, of course, this sorry iteration of the once-outstanding Cristiano Ronaldo all underwhelmed in a tight contest.

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The Numbers That Explain Spain’s Slender Win

• Portugal just didn’t do enough to win this game, and it seemed as if it was content with extra time for much of the second half. Just 0.60 xG was generated from 10 efforts.
• Spain created its biggest moment when it mattered most, with Merino running onto Torres’s smart pass and finishing from a chance worth a match-high 0.55 xG.
• The battle for midfield control perhaps wasn’t as fierce as some may have projected, with Spain enjoying 56% possession and proving to be considerably more precise. They completed 88% of their passes, while Portugal, which tallied over 100 fewer, ended the match with an 84% pass accuracy.
• On his final World Cup outing, Cristiano Ronaldo notched 19 touches and two shots. Once again, he failed to make the difference against elite opposition.

Statistic	Portugal	Spain
Possession	44%	%
xG	0.60	1.77
Total Shots	10	15
Shots on Target	2	6
Big Chances	1	3
Pass Accuracy	%	%
Fouls	9	13
Corners	3	7

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