Lamine Yamal Gets 7.5/10 | Spain Players Rated After They Steal It Late Against Portugal In The FIFA World Cup 2026 | OneFootball

A Texas heatwave met an equally scorching tactical battle in Dallas in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Old rivals Spain and Portugal locked horns in a monumental World Cup round of 16 clash that, for the most part, felt more like a chess match than a chaotic goalfest.

Both managers set up teams that essentially cancelled each other out for vast swathes of the evening. The first half yielded minimal clear openings. The biggest scare for La Roja came from a looping Nuno Mendes cross that ricocheted violently off Unai Simón’s crossbar and flashed away to safety. Spain controlled the tempo with their trademark fluid passing sequences, but found a resilient Portuguese low block incredibly tough to break down. Up front, Cristiano Ronaldo cut an isolated figure as teenage sensation Pau Cubarsí matched his movements step for step.

Merino’s late show settles Texas chess match as Spain edge out Portugal in the FIFA World Cup 2026

Just as extra time seemed a certainty, Luis de la Fuente flipped the script. Fresh legs from the bench injected life into a tiring side, and the tactical gamble yielded pure gold in the 90th minute. Mikel Merino broke into the box, connected with a dramatic cross, and sparked unbridled Spanish pandemonium in the stands. Here is how each individual fared on a historic night in Dallas.

Starting eleven player reviews:

Unai Simón – 7

The Athletic Bilbao shot-stopper commanded his penalty area with absolute authority when things got tense. He anticipated overtop through-balls quickly and comfortably gathered a tricky cross under heavy pressure right before the halftime whistle.

Pedro Porro – 6.5

An energetic performance down the right flank. He locked horns fiercely with João Félix and timed his overlapping runs well, though his final delivery occasionally lacked the precision needed to unlock a stubborn defence.

Pau Cubarsí – 8

A truly colossal performance on the grandest stage of all. To track Cristiano Ronaldo with maturity even at this tender age is no small feat. He won crucial aerial duels and built play from the back with immense composure. Outstanding.

Aymeric Laporte – 7.5

An impenetrable central partnership is forming here alongside young Cubarsí. The veteran defender read the game superbly, stepping out of the defensive line to intercept dangerous passes and keeping the Portuguese attackers at arm’s length.

Marc Cucurella – 7

Relentless energy along the left channel. He successfully neutralised the threat of Pedro Neto, and his aggressive pressing forced several second-half turnovers that allowed Spain to sustain heavy attacking pressure.

Rodri – 8.5

The absolute heartbeat of this team. He recycled possession flawlessly under intense pressure and broke up transition plays before they could ever threaten the back four. Standard elite performance from the Manchester City man.

Midfield dynamics

Pedri – 6

The Barcelona maestro showed brief moments of his creative vision but struggled to impose himself fully. Portugal’s compact midfield structure restricted his time on the ball, limiting his forward passing options before he was hooked late on.

Dani Olmo – 6

Deployed as the number 10, but space was incredibly hard to come by against Rúben Dias and Renato Veiga. He dropped deep to collect the ball but lacked the raw physical presence to anchor the attack effectively.

Frontline analysis:

Álex Baena – 6.5

Hard work in the half-spaces. He tried his best to link up with the frontline and showed great tactical discipline to maintain midfield balance. However, he rarely threatened Diogo Costa’s goal directly before making way for Ferran Torres.

Lamine Yamal – 7.5

Spain’s primary attacking spark. The teenage winger carried a real threat with his dazzling dribbling skills, consistently beating Nuno Mendes on the outside and causing sheer panic whenever he cut inside onto his left foot.

Mikel Oyarzabal – 6.5

He pressed the Portuguese defenders relentlessly from the front, sacrificing his own attacking output for the sake of the collective. His clever decoy runs created space for teammates, even if he didn’t get many clear look-ins himself.

Impact substitutes:

ARLINGTON, TEXAS – JULY 06: (L-R) Mikel Oyarzabal #21, Mikel Merino #6 and Fabian Ruiz #8 of Spain celebrate the team’s 1-0 victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Portugal and Spain at Dallas Stadium on July 06, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

Ferran Torres – 6

Injected fresh running power on the left wing. He picked up a late caution for a tactical foul during stoppage time, doing the dirty work to stop a counter-attack.

Fabián Ruiz – 6.5

Added much-needed physical presence to the engine room during the final ten minutes, helping Spain seize control of the central zones when the game was on the line.

Mikel Merino – 9

The ultimate super-sub. He timed his late run into the box perfectly to convert a dramatic 90th-minute cross, scoring the definitive winner that secured qualification. One moment, one goal, job done.

Borja Iglesias – N/A

Entered the pitch during the dying seconds of stoppage time to help waste precious seconds and disrupt Portugal’s rhythm.