Portugal vs. Spain live score, result, highlights in World Cup Round of as Merino strikes in stoppage time

Mikel Merino struck in stoppage time to edge Spain past Iberian rivals Portugal 1-0 and into the World Cup quarterfinals.

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In a game of few chances, Arsenal midfielder Merino came off the bench to coolly slot home his first goal for club or country since January.

It meant Cristiano Ronaldo played his final World Cup game frustrated on the margins, with Portugal lacking in attacking thrust or ingenuity, bringing down the curtain on Roberto Martinez’s unsatisfactory reign.

More to follow

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Portugal vs. Spain score

Location: Dallas, TX
Referee: Anthony Taylor

Projected starting lineups:

Portugal (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. D. Costa (GK) — 20. J. Cancelo, 3. R. Dias, 13. R. Veiga, 25. N. Mendes — 23. Vitinha, 15. J. Neves — 18. P. Neto, 8. B. Fernandes, 11. J. Felix — 7. C. Ronaldo

Spain (4-2-3-1, right to left): 23. U. Simon (GK) — 12. P. Porro, 22. P. Cubarsi, 14. A. Laporte, 24. M. Cucurella — 16. Rodri, 20. Pedri — 19. L. Yamal, 10. Dani Olmo, 15. A. Baena — 21. M. Oyarzabal

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Portugal vs. Spain stats

Portugal vs. Spain live updates, highlights from 2026 World Cup knockouts

(All times ET)

Fulltime

Spain get the job done. They’ve still not conceded a goal. Portugal’s underwhelming race is run. Ronaldo has played his last World Cup game and Roberto Martinez is done too.

90+6′: Silva so close!

The diminutive Silva gets into the area and puts a header onto the roof of the net. That was so close. He has a row with his long-time former Manchester City team-mate Rodri afterwards.

90+1′: GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!! MERINO SURELY WINS IT FOR SPAIN!

Merino proves to be the super sub. The Arsenal man wins a free-kick, takes it quickly and continues his run into the area. Rodri and Torres spot him before Portugal do, Torres with a lovely pass around the corner and Merino drills low into the corner.

85:’ Pedri and Olmo off

4:48 p.m. — Spain freshen up the engine room, with Ruiz and Merino on for Olmo and Pedri.

83:’ Double change for Portugal

4:46 p.m. — Pedro Neto and Vitinha coming off for Francisco Conceicao and Bernardo Silva. Such depth of quality here for both sides. Anyone fancy a goal?

78′: Big Dias block to deny Olmo

4:41 p.m. — Rodri fizzes a trademark pass through the lines, Olmo lets it run and fires goalwards and Dias makes a brilliant block to turn the shot behind. Great defending.

75′: Ferran on. Bruno chance

4:38 p.m. — Ferran Torres replaces Alex Baena in Spain’s first change. That should, in theory, make them a little more penetrative in attack. After the Barcelona attacker comes on, a half-chance falls Portugal’s way and Fernandes thrashes into the side-netting.

73′: Costa turns Lamine free-kick over

4:36 p.m. — Lamine Yamal whips in a free-kick from the right-hand corner of the box. Costa taking no chances and pushes over. He deals with Baena follow-up corner unfussily too.

71′: Joao Joao for now

4:34 p.m. — After the hydration break, Portugal take off Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix. Diogo Dalot and Rafael Leao enter the fray.

66′: Where are the Spain attackers?

4:29 p.m. — Electric combination between Lamine Yamal and Porro on the underlapping run. The full-back whips into the box but Cancelo can hoof clear as neither Oyarzabal or Baena have punched their ticket. 

61′: Pedri shot deflected behind

4:24 p.m. — The rejigged Portugal defence stand off Pedri and Veiga has to get in the way to deflect his shot behind.

55′: Injury or Mendes

4:18 p.m. — Portugal full-back Nuno Mendes has been superb so far but Lamine Yamal just got the better of him. In the recovery run, Mendes appeared to hurt himself and he’s down with what looks like a muscular injury. Nelson Semedo is coming on and Mendes’ race is run. Huge blow for Portugal and Lamine might be licking his lips.

2nd Half: Kickoff

4:08 p.m. — Portugal get us back underway. No changes from either side at the break, but Selecao striker Goncalo Ramos went through some extensive warm-ups.

Halftime

Goalless at the interval. Spain started sharply but Portugal won’t be unhappy with that. Lamine Yamal has been kept on the margins. It looks like being a game of few chances. Oyarzabal’s early miss is ageing like milk. Nuno Mendes smacked a deflected shot against the crossbar. One goal might settle this, you know.

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45′: Rodri puts one way over

3:45 p.m. —  Lovely Spain move. Oyarzabal and Olmo probing. Rodri then spanks a shot about 50 rows up. That’s not so lovely. Six minutes to be added.

41′: Nuno Mendes hits the crossbar!

3:41 p.m. — Joao Felix and Neto have both had some medical attention and it seems to have broken Spain’s concentration. They switch off from a short corner, Nuno Mendes takes aim and his piledriver clips Porro on the head and thumps into the crossbar with Simon rooted.

37′: Joao Felix and Ronaldo go close

3:37 p.m. — Portugal’s best moment of the match so far. Neto sends in a searching cross, which Joao Felix gets on the end of at the far post. Simon saves and he’s able to crasp Ronaldo’s follow-up. There wasn’t much pace left on the ball for Ronaldo to work with.

30′: Panic in the Portugal box

3:30 p.m. — Pedri punts one into the box. Costa gambles with a sprawling block before the onrushing Oyarzzbal. Olmo heads the loose ball wide. Then the flag goes up for something or other.

16′: Fabulous double save from Diogo Costa

3:16 p.m. — Rodri surges forward and finds Lamine Yamal for one of those shots where he cuts inside and curls it for the far corner. You know the one. So does Costa, and he springs to his right to save it. The Portugal No. 1 is right back on his feet and turns Baena’s follow-up behind. That’s top-drawer goalkeeping.

9′: Ronaldo and Rodri grappling

3:09 p.m. — The first Portugal corner ends with Ronaldo asking rather forlornly for a penalty. Rodri had hold of his arm briefly, but there was also a collision with a teammate. It would be a low bar for a penalty.

8′: BIG MISS FROM OYARZABAL

3:08 p.m. — Oh, you’d expect the man in form to score that. Baena and Olmo link nicely, Oyarzabal springs a ragged Portugal offside trap but slots his shot wide.

7′: Cancelo crashes over

3:07 p.m. —  Portugal come to the party as an attacking force. Their rampaging full-backs on both sides are so important to them, and right-back Cancelo thrashes over from the right-hand side of the box.

3′: Oyarzabal tests Costa early

3:03 p.m. — Oyarzabal has four goals so far at this World Cup, so why not have a try from 25 yards? It’s well hit but Costa sees it all the way. Then Lamine Yamal gets the better of Nuno Mendes to cause further panic. It’s a fast start for Spain and Portugal haven’t settled.

Kickoff: 1st Half

Spain get us underway in Dallas.

Prematch

2:50 p.m. — The teams are heading out for the anthems. Spain’s famously, has no words. A good one for Harry Kane today, probably.

2:30 p.m. — For all the understandable excitement around the attacking talent on display tonight, Spain’s bid for glory is build upon a rock-solid defence. La Roja have not conceded in the first four matches. Pau Cubarsi and Aymeric Laporte have been immaculate at the heart of defence. Goalkeeper Unai Simon has not conceded for a World Cup record of 519 minutes.

2 p.m. — Luis de la Fuente has laid out an attacking midfield three, with captain Rodri holding Barcelona duo Pedri and Dani Olmo.

🚨 OFICIAL | Nuestro once ante Portugal.#VamosEspaña | #CopaMundialFIFA pic.twitter.com/QGEAZErJSI

— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) July 6, 2026

1:30 p.m. — The teams are in and it’s as you’d expect for Portugal. Joao Felix comes back in for Rafael Leao in support of Ronaldo up front.

O 𝗫𝗜 𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 para o jogo contra a Espanha no Mundial 2026 🫡#VaiDarPortugal | #PORESP #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/HTQ8UlSzgg

— Portugal (@selecaoportugal) July 6, 2026

1 p.m. — All eyes, as usual, will be on Ronaldo tonight. But perhaps for slightly different reasons. The 41-year-old veteran has long seemed hellbent upon playing and playing and playing until his body fails him. But speaking at the pre-match press conference, he confirmed this will be his last World Cup. «I am not the player I used to be, but I am not doing too badly,» he said. «Whatever happens tomorrow, Cristiano Ronaldo will leave with a clear conscience. Not 100 per cent, but 1,000 per cent, because in life and football I gave everything.»

Troy Taormina /Imagn Images

12 p.m. — The last time the Iberian rivals met at the World Cup, they produced an instant classic. In the group stage at Russia 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo netted a stunning last-gasp free-kick to snatch a 3-3 draw in Sochi. The stakes are higher this time, with a place in the quarterfinals and a showdown with either Belgium or the United States the reward. Along with considerable and delicious local bragging rights.

Where to watch Portugal vs. Spain in World Cup

Portugal vs. Spain start time

• Date: Monday, July 6
• Kickoff: 3:00 p.m. ET

The Round of 16 matchup between Spain and Portugal will kickoff at 3:00 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Dallas Texas. It will be the first of two matches on the day, with USA vs. Belgium coming later in the evening.

What channel is Portugal vs. Spain on today?

• TV channel: Fox
• Live stream: Fubo (U.S. only free trial)

Portugal vs. Spain will be broadcasted on Fox in the United States, with Ian Darke and Landon Donovan on the call. Fans looking for an alternate streaming option can use Fubo, which offers a free trial for new users.

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World Cup 2026 knockouts schedule

Round of 16

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Third-place match

Final