Maxi Rodríguez praises Mikel Merino's heroics as Argentina heads to Kansas City

Maxi Rodríguez used Telemundo’s Hoy en el Mundial to put Mikel Merino at the center of Spain’s latest tournament swing. Merino scored in the 91st minute to deliver a 1-0 victory over Portugal on July 6, sending Spain into the World Cup quarterfinals and ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s run in the tournament.

That goal fit a pattern that has already changed Merino’s standing in decisive matches. In Stuttgart at Euro 2024, he headed Spain to a 2-1 win over Germany in the 119th minute of the quarterfinal, a result that made Spain the first team to eliminate the host nation at that stage of a European Championship. Luis de la Fuente has now seen Merino deliver in back-to-back pressure moments, with the midfielder emerging as one of Spain’s most reliable late-game options.

Rodríguez also had Argentina on his mind as the defending World Cup champions arrived in Kansas City for a quarterfinal against Switzerland at Arrowhead Stadium. The match carried heavy local interest, with a strong Argentine presence in the city and tickets in high demand around a venue better known for football crowds than World Cup nights.

The matchup also revived an older knockout memory. Argentina and Switzerland had already met in a World Cup elimination game 12 years earlier in Brazil, when Ángel Di María settled a tense round-of-16 tie in extra time. With Lionel Messi’s team back in another win-or-go-home game, Kansas City again became the setting for a match shaped by one decisive moment.