Spain showed no mercy in Valladolid as they swept aside Bulgaria 4-0 at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla on Tuesday night, just as Softfootball predicted in the pre-match preview . La Roja continued their perfect run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, and the win keeps Luis de la Fuente's men top of Group E with 12 points from four games, while Bulgaria's miserable campaign is now officially over, mathematically eliminated with zero points.
It was Mikel Merino's night once again. The Arsenal midfielder bagged a brace, both from headers, in the 35th and 57th minutes. The first came via a beautiful cross from Pedri, and the second was another thumping finish after an inch-perfect delivery by Alejandro Grimaldo. That's six goals now in four qualifiers for Merino red-hot form for a man not even known primarily as a scorer.
Spain dominated early, firing off 18 first-half shots but still couldn't find the net until Merino broke the deadlock before halftime. After the restart, Borja Iglesias twice tested Bulgarian keeper Svetoslav Vutsov before Merino nodded in his second to kill off any hopes of a comeback. The visitors' night got worse when debutant Atanas Chernev turned Aleix Garcia's cross into his own net in the 79th minute. And in stoppage time, Mikel Oyarzabal, who had been previously praised by his manager as a complete player, calmly tucked away a penalty after being brought down, wrapping up another ruthless Spanish display.