Spain is one step closer to becoming only the fourth team in history to hold the European Championship and World Cup trophies simultaneously, reach the quarterfinals of the latter thanks to Mikel Merino’s late winner against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal on Monday.
Germany (1972, 1974), France (1998, 2000) and Spain itself (2010, 2012) are the only nations to previously win the World Cup as reigning European champion or vice versa. Spain conquered Europe again in 2024, and now faces the United States or Belgium for a place in the World Cup final four.