🔗 Share this article

Everything began in Scottish soil and the momentum remains unbroken. That memorable night at Hampden marked merely Luis de la Fuente's second outing as Spain's manager; numerous observers thought it might prove to be his final assignment. Although two Scott McTominay goals defeating La Furia Roja, whereas almost all spectators expected his spell would be brief, the coach spoke about a route emerging - and remarkably, the man once accused of living in Disneyland turned out correct.

36 months and four days, Spain moved extremely close of World Cup qualification, and also achieving their 29th consecutive competitive game without defeat, equaling the legendary record.

Pedri's Influence and Merino's Impact

On a night when the Barcelona midfielder played and Mikel Merino made the decisive impact, Spain overcame Bulgaria 4-0 to accumulate 12 points from twelve in qualifying, edging closer. The Gunners' playmaker and sometime striker scored the opening two goals and could have earned his second hat-trick in three recent Spain appearances but when brought down in the final minute, he generously handed the penalty to Mikel Oyarzabal instead.

Therefore it was the Real Sociedad attacker, goal-getter of the decisive goal in the Euro 2024 final, who maintained the impressive sequence, equaling what Vicente del Bosque's golden generation achieved between 2010 and 2013.

Historic Achievement

Now, readers may have noticed the asterisk, and correctly so. While FIFA may not count it as a defeat, during this remarkable run Spain did lose once – seven-five on penalties to Portugal in the continental tournament final back in June. However formally at least, this current team has matched that legendary squad against which all Spanish sides are compared.

Victory in Georgia in thirty days and the achievement will be exclusively theirs. Along the way they won the Nations League in 2023, the European Championships in 2024 and reached a Nations League final in 2025; they approach 2026 sitting number one, among the frontrunners once more, just like previous eras.

Total Control

The match represented "only" against Bulgaria, it is true, just as previous matches against Georgia, Bulgaria, and Turkey but that's four victories from four outings, aggregate score 15-0. Occurred two moments immediately after the Spanish team obtained their first two goals – the third strike being an self-inflicted – but eventually their opponents had not been permitted a solitary shot on target.

Overall statistics showed: thirty-three to three, Spain demonstrably playing as Spain. Bulgaria's coach had admitted the sole objective his team could have was to resist as long as they could. Ultimately, that resistance lasted 33 minutes, and Merino's header represented Spain's eighteenth attempt on target by that point.

Pedri's Masterclass

This performance was about the entire team, but at the core of it was Pedri, ubiquitous and nowhere simultaneously: everywhere for Spain, absent for Bulgaria, unable to track him as he darted through their lines. He completed one hundred and one passes by the time he was substituted to a rapturous applause on the sixty-sixth minute, and his were the instances of utmost subtlety, the finest touches and the most incisive too.

When the Valladolid stadium sang his name during the opening period, he had just drifted unnoticed into the area again, dinking his shot over Svetoslav Vutsov and onto the woodwork, but it was not only that. He had previously floated a magnificent pass into Álex Baena to volley wide and delivered another back from which Baena was blocked.

Continued Pressure

A disguised delivery had set Samu Aghehowa up for what ought to have been the opener, and a precise lay-off saw Oyarzabal scuff his shot. He got a opportunity of his own only to be unable to find a clean connection, striking wide.

But then, almost immediately after, he floated another ball in. This time Robin Le Normand headed across and Merino headed in. Spain, who had 88% of the ball, now had the advantage. The positioning chart looked like they had exhausted supply of spray paint half way through and a little later Aghehowa could have made it two-nil.

Brief Resistance

But then in part it's the unpredictability, even the injustice, that makes football special. And the first time Bulgaria got into Spain's territory they could have equalized, Kiril Despodov abruptly breaking away and hitting the outside of the net.

Introduced for Aghehowa at the half-time, Borja Iglesias had multiple opportunities in as many minutes before Merino scored again. The delivery from the left flank was excellent from Álex Grimaldo and there, leaping above everyone, was Merino to power the header downward and dash off to do laps round the corner flag.

Final Moments

As they had after the first goal, Bulgaria survived once more, Despodov sent through and sending his and their second shot wide and yet the initial instance the visitors had a shot on target it was at the incorrect goal, Atanas Chernev deflecting into his own net. Yet it was not quite finished, Merino fouled in the shins and stepping aside to let Oyarzabal smash in the 99th goal of De la Fuente's continuing reign.