Could it really be true? An unexpected midfielder outscoring&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/cristiano-ronaldo">Cristiano Ronaldo</a>,&nbsp;Kylian Mbappe, and&nbsp;Robert Lewandowski&nbsp;in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign? That’s the story taking European soccer by surprise, as Spain’s dominance in Group E continues with perfection — and one player’s name has become the most unexpected addition to the continent’s top scorers list.



<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/spain/">Spain</a>&nbsp;remains unstoppable under&nbsp;Luis de la Fuente, boasting a perfect record of four wins out of four in the European qualifying phase, with a staggering&nbsp;15-0 aggregate score. Its latest 4-0 victory over&nbsp;Bulgaria&nbsp;not only kept their run of&nbsp;29 consecutive competitive games unbeaten, but also unveiled a goalscoring story few could have predicted.



The match itself was a masterclass in control and creativity.&nbsp;Pedri&nbsp;dictated the rhythm,&nbsp;Alex Baena&nbsp;tormented defenders, and&nbsp;Mikel Oyarzabal&nbsp;capped the night with a penalty — but it was one man who truly stood out. The spotlight, surprisingly, belonged to&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/mikel-merino/">Mikel Merino</a>, who scored twice in Valladolid to seal another emphatic win. With those goals, the Arsenal midfielder brought his tally to&nbsp;six goals in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, more than some of the biggest names in soccer history.



For most of the first half, Bulgaria resisted Spain’s waves of attacks, but their resistance broke when&nbsp;Robin Le Normand&nbsp;headed Pedri’s floated ball into the box — and&nbsp;Merino rose highest to power home the opener. It was Spain’s&nbsp;18th shot on goal&nbsp;already, proof of their relentless domination.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20251016_WST_597485_merino-spain-1200x675_c525c7e4.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="merino spain" class="wp-image-597499" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure><figcaption>Mikel Merino of Spain celebrates after scoring.</figcaption></figure>



Moments later, Merino nearly turned provider as a poor clearance fell to him, only for young&nbsp;Samu Aghehowa&nbsp;to misfire. But the midfielder wasn’t done. In the second half,&nbsp;Álex Grimaldo’s inch-perfect cross from the left found Merino again, and his header crashed past the goalkeeper to make it 2-0. The 29-year-old’s timing, power, and positioning were faultless — the traits of a natural finisher rather than a deep-lying playmaker.



<h2>Outscoring soccer’s elite</h2>



According to FIFA‘s stats,&nbsp;“Mikel Merino (six) has scored more goals in 2026 World Cup qualifying than Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, and Robert Lewandowski.”



<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🇪🇸 Mikel Merino (𝟔) has scored more goals in 2026 World Cup qualifying than: 🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo 🇫🇷 Kylian Mbappe 🇵🇱 Robert Lewnadowski 🇩🇰 Rasmus Hojlund 🇮🇹 Mateo Retegui 🇧🇷 Raphinha 🇦🇷 Lautaro Martinez 🇺🇾 Darwin Nunez 🇨🇴 James Rodriguez 🇸🇳 Sadio Mane 🇨🇲 Bryan Mbeumo <a href="https://t.co/26ec9kSP5Z">pic.twitter.com/26ec9kSP5Z</a>— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) <a href="https://twitter.com/primevideosport/status/1978370508958974118?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2025</a></blockquote></div>



That fact alone is staggering.&nbsp;Cristiano Ronaldo&nbsp;has netted&nbsp;five goals&nbsp;for Portugal,&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/kylian-mbappe/">Mbappe</a>&nbsp;only&nbsp;three&nbsp;for France, and&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/robert-lewandowski/">Lewandowski</a> has managed&nbsp;three&nbsp;for Poland. Meanwhile, Merino, in just&nbsp;four appearances, has scored&nbsp;six times, matching the tallies of elite strikers like&nbsp;Harry Kane,&nbsp;Kevin De Bruyne, and&nbsp;Andrej Kramaric&nbsp;— and only trailing&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/erling-haaland/">Erling Haaland</a>&nbsp;(12) and&nbsp;Memphis Depay&nbsp;(7) in the European zone.



For context,&nbsp;Haaland’s 12 goals for Norway lead all scorers, while&nbsp;Depay’s seven for the Netherlands put him second. But Merino’s strike rate —&nbsp;1.5 goals per game&nbsp;— is among the most efficient in the competition, placing him ahead of several pure forwards.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><thead><tr><th>Rank</th><th>Player</th><th>Goals</th><th>Matches Played</th><th>Goals per 90</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1.</td><td>Erling Haaland (Norway)</td><td>12</td><td>6</td><td>2.05</td></tr><tr><td>3.</td><td>Mikel Merino (Spain)</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>1.50</td></tr><tr><td>8.</td><td>Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>1.43</td></tr><tr><td>16.</td><td>Kylian Mbappe (France)</td><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>1.03</td></tr><tr><td>16.</td><td>Robert Lewandowski (Poland)</td><td>3</td><td>5</td><td>0.82</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

Better than Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, and Robert Lewandowski: Spain’s shock goalscorer leaves superstars behind in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

Better than Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, and Robert Lewandowski: Spain's shock goalscorer leaves superstars behind in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers - World Soccer Talk

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Soon after Arsenal officially announced the signing of Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad for a fee that could reach $41 million, the Gunners were dealt a blow. The Spanish international picked up an injury this week in one of his first training sessions, ruling him out until mid-September.



It’s a blow for Arsenal, but hopefully the shoulder injury isn’t a fracture. If so, it may mean a longer wait until he makes his Arsenal debut.



When he’s ready, Merino will have a significant impact on Arsenal’s midfield. After all, before signing him, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/arsenal-tv-schedule/">Arsenal</a> didn’t have a natural number eight in their squad. Yes, a team that took the title race to the final day didn’t have a natural central midfielder in their squad. 



Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta has finally got his man. There’s hope that Merino could finally stabilize that left-hand side and potentially unlock Gabriel Martinelli to play back to his best.&nbsp;



<h2>A Season of Tactical Adjustments in Midfield</h2>



Kai Havertz, Fabio Vieira, Emile Smith Rowe, and Leandro Trossard have all been used in that left ‘8’ position throughout last season. But it was Declan Rice being the superior option. Havertz was then shifted to striker, where he ended the season strong and started this one in a similar vein.



The German was initially brought in to replace Granit Xhaka, who himself had an illustrious season and became an ‘Invincible’, but for <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/how-to-watch-bayer-leverkusen-on-us-tv/">Bayer Leverkusen</a>. 



Havertz struggled to adapt in the first part of the season. He scored only six goals and a total of zero assists in all competitions playing as a midfielder. Compare that to the eight goals and seven assists in only 18 appearances as the central striker. An impressive return, all things considered.




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This meant that Declan Rice had to fill that left central midfield position. But this seemed to pay off, with the Englishman hitting his highest goal and assist tally in his career (17).



Whether Declan Rice will shift back to the defensive midfielder position is still uncertain, but all signs suggest he will. Rice’s physical attributes and Havertz’s technical skills mirror the skill set that Mikel Merino offers in conjunction. A true box-to-box midfielder.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="MIKEL MERINO | From Gooner to Gunner | First Arsenal interview" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bRIFL0MTcvY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
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<h2>Mikel Merino and Arsenal can unleash Martinelli</h2>



Gabriel Martinelli had a tough season last year. Saying he struggled is an understatement. The previous season, he scored 15 non-penalty goals, tying with Firmino for the most by a Brazilian in the Premier League. Last season, however, his goal tally dropped significantly to just six.



Several factors contributed to this decline, including a lack of service, difficulty building a connection with the closest midfielder, and eventually losing his place to Trossard.



With Merino now in the left attacking zone, Martinelli might finally form a crucial partnership, similar to the one he had with Xhaka in 2022/23. The question is whether Merino can replicate that successful connection.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="740" height="378" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240830_WST_525290_Screenshot-2024-08-30-at-02.46.47_7ab589a0.webp&amp;width=740&amp;height=378" alt="" class="wp-image-525595" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-30-at-02.46.47.png 740w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-30-at-02.46.47-300x153.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px"></figure></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="716" height="360" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240830_WST_525290_Screenshot-2024-08-30-at-02.47.51_5f7beba3.webp&amp;width=716&amp;height=360" alt="" class="wp-image-525596" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-30-at-02.47.51.png 716w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-30-at-02.47.51-300x151.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px"></figure></figure>



As seen above, Xhaka loved to occupy that specific zone. He only has one thing on his mind: finding Martinelli. It may seem simple to play that through ball, but the weight of the pass is intricate and allowed the Brazilian to create separation to score. Merino has that ability to be just as imperative in the final third, as shown below.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="738" height="270" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240830_WST_525290_Screenshot-2024-08-30-at-02.53.12_d69e90e5.webp&amp;width=738&amp;height=270" alt="" class="wp-image-525599" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-30-at-02.53.12.png 738w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-30-at-02.53.12-300x110.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 738px) 100vw, 738px"></figure></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="738" height="268" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240830_WST_525290_Screenshot-2024-08-30-at-02.58.25_9f8f5b06.webp&amp;width=738&amp;height=268" alt="" class="wp-image-525605" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-30-at-02.58.25.png 738w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-30-at-02.58.25-300x109.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 738px) 100vw, 738px"></figure></figure>



You’ll quickly notice from both images that both players are scanning for the winger before receiving the ball. Merino’s pass was exquisite, which made the winger attack that left wing. Martinelli probably missed that last season due to the lack of time to create a relationship on the pitch with whoever is playing that position, whereas Xhaka was a mainstay.



<h2>The duel-winning machine&nbsp;</h2>



If you’ve watched the <a href="https://amzn.to/3T8XhFW" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">All or Nothing Amazon documentary on Arsenal</a>, you’ll know how much Arteta loves his duels. Or how much he dislikes when he loses them. The cameras caught him after Arsenal’s shock early exit to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup in 2022, and he had a lot to say in the changing room.&nbsp;



“When I lose a duel, I am upset. When I lose the small-sided games, I am upset.”



Well, his namesake loves them just as much. Mikel Merino ranks the highest number of ‘duels won’ in 2023/24 across Europe’s top seven leagues, and was the only player to win more than 300+ with 326 <a href="https://x.com/Squawka/status/1796530730798862498" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(Squakwa)</a>. The ‘duels won’ stat measures how often a player successfully wins physical battles for the ball against an opponent, whether it’s during tackles, aerial challenges, or 50/50 situations.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="720" height="900" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240830_WST_525290_GV_u7UOWAAA3fb5-1_5756cee5.webp&amp;width=720&amp;height=900" alt="" class="wp-image-525592" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/GV_u7UOWAAA3fb5-1.jpeg 720w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/08/GV_u7UOWAAA3fb5-1-240x300.jpeg 240w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px"></figure><figcaption>(Squawka)</figcaption></figure>



Arsenal’s Mikel Merino is not only a technical genius but dominates his duels. This is a rare combination for your typical Spanish central midfielder. He brings a wealth of experience from his time in Spain, where he became the captain of Real Sociedad. So returning to play soccer in England is a full-circle moment for him.



Following the official announcement of his signing, childhood photos of Merino <a href="https://x.com/Arsenal/status/1828473969848061964" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surfaced</a>. They showed him in an Arsenal jersey from 2005, a year after their last title win. 



Now, nearly two decades later, Mikel Merino joins Arsenal to help push them closer to winning the title once again.&nbsp;



Photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

How Mikel Merino will make a difference in Arsenal's midfield

Mikel Merino completes his move to Arsenal from Real Sociedad. Will he be the midfielder that the Gunners missed last season?

How Mikel Merino will make a difference in Arsenal's midfield - World Soccer Talk

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Better than Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, and Robert Lewandowski: Spain’s shock goalscorer leaves superstars behind in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

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How Mikel Merino will make a difference in Arsenal's midfield