The Arsenal midfielder recreated a special family moment, 32 years later, when he found the net during Spain’s Euro 2024 quarter-final clash.

Spain’s journey to the Euro 2024 title was filled with unforgettable highlights — from the dazzling performances of young sensation Lamine Yamal to a series of thrilling late goals that guided La Roja to their second European Championship triumph.

Among those defining moments, Mikel Merino’s extra-time winner against Germany in the quarter-finals stands out, not just for its sporting importance but for the deeply personal story connected to it, one that spans generations.

For Merino, this was much more than a goal — it was the continuation of a family legacy, over three decades in the making.

As the tournament progressed, Spain increasingly looked like the team to beat, blending technical precision with relentless attacking football. However, their biggest challenge came in the form of hosts Germany in the quarter-finals.

After 119 exhausting minutes with the score still level, substitute Merino rose above the German defence to meet a pinpoint cross from Dani Olmo, heading home a dramatic late winner to send Spain into the semi-finals.

“It was the best moment of my career,” Merino told FourFourTwo. “It was an incredibly tough game against what were probably the favourites at that stage, playing at home in Stuttgart with their massive support.

“Before that, Spain had never defeated a host nation in a major tournament. To be able to help the team in a moment like that — it was truly special.”

The dramatic winner carried even deeper meaning for Merino. His father, Ángel Miguel Merino — a former professional footballer — had scored one of the most important goals of his own career in the very same Stuttgart stadium more than three decades earlier.

Ángel Merino’s memorable strike helped Osasuna secure a 3-2 victory over a German club in the 1991–92 UEFA Cup. His celebration that night — a jubilant run around the corner flag — would later be lovingly recreated by his son on one of European football’s biggest stages.

“It was one of the most important goals of his career, and he scored it in that same stadium,” Merino said with a smile. “So for me to be able to score there, and celebrate the same way he did, is the highlight of my career so far.”

— Ed McCambridge, Staff Writer