Spain Crush Turkey 6-0 as Merino Hits Stunning Hat-Trick
What a night it was in Konya, where Turkey were completely dismantled by a ruthless Spanish side in the World Cup qualifiers. The game ended 6–0 in favor of Spain, and the headlines were all about Arsenal’s Mikel Merino, who produced the performance of his career. He scored a hat-trick – his very first at the international level – and every goal seemed to raise the energy of Spain’s attack while crushing any hopes Turkey had of making a comeback.
The tone was set early. Just six minutes in, Pedri struck the opening goal after being set up by Nico Williams. That early strike silenced the home crowd and forced Turkey to play from behind almost immediately. Spain kept piling on the pressure, and it didn’t take long before Merino began his scoring run. In the 22nd minute, he latched onto a pass from Mikel Oyarzabal and finished coolly. Right before halftime, in stoppage time, Oyarzabal once again found Merino, who doubled his tally and gave Spain a commanding 3–0 lead at the break.
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Turkey’s defense, normally solid at home, looked completely overwhelmed. Even though the possession stats were nearly even, the quality of Spain’s final-third play made all the difference. Every time Spain moved forward, they looked dangerous, and the Turkish backline couldn’t cope with the speed and precision.
The second half was even more punishing. Just eight minutes after the restart, Ferran Torres made it 4–0, finishing off a clever assist from the teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. Then, in the 57th minute, the moment of the night arrived. Merino collected another pass from Yamal, took a touch, and curled in a sensational strike from more than 20 yards out. That third goal completed his hat-trick, and it felt like the entire stadium knew they were witnessing something special.
Spain weren’t done. Pedri added his second in the 62nd minute, with Oyarzabal yet again turning provider. That made it 6–0, and at that point, the match had long slipped out of Turkey’s grasp. The final whistle brought relief for the home side, but for Spain, it was a statement performance.
For Merino, this night marked a turning point. Before 2025, he had scored only twice in his first 31 caps. Now, in just six games this year, he already has six goals. His rise in the national team has been remarkable, and this hat-trick will be remembered as the moment he truly announced himself as a leader in midfield.
Spain’s perfect start to their Group E campaign continues, with two wins out of two, nine goals scored, and none conceded. Turkey, on the other hand, remain stuck on three points and will have to regroup quickly if they want to stay in contention. The gap in class was clear, and Spain showed why they are being seen as one of the favorites heading into the World Cup.
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