Merino nets hat-trick as Spain thrash Turkey | OneFootball

Spain’s march towards the 2026 World Cup shows no sign of slowing. In Konya, La Roja absolutely tore Turkey apart, running out 6–0 winners in a statement of intent at the top of Group E.

The visitors wasted no time asserting themselves. Barely six minutes in, Pedri González latched onto a Nico Williams pass and, with the home crowd still in full voice, slipped the ball past Ugurcan Cakir to set the tone.

From there, Luis de la Fuente’s side were relentless. Before the break, Mikel Merino struck twice in quick succession, leaving Turkey shell-shocked and Spain cruising at 3–0 by half-time.

The second half brought no respite. On 53 minutes, Ferrán Torres, fed by the lively Lamine Yamal, cut inside from the right and finished neatly.

Just moments later, Merino capped a sensational night with a stunning left-footer from the edge of the box to complete his hat-trick..

With the rain hammering down, Pedri added his second late on to round off a ruthless display. Spain were simply a class above, and on this evidence, few in Europe will fancy facing them anytime soon.