Spain Dominates Turkey in World Cup Qualifier
Mikel Merino scored a hat-trick as Spain triumphed over Turkey in their World Cup qualifier.
The Arsenal midfielder's third goal, which came in the 57th minute, was particularly impressive. He received a pass from Lamine Yamal and curled a stunning shot from over 20 yards out.
At 29 years old, Merino has now scored six goals in six matches for Spain in 2025, a remarkable improvement considering he had only netted twice in his first 31 appearances.
In addition to Merino's contributions, Pedri scored twice, and his Barcelona teammate Ferran Torres added another goal in Konya.
Mikel Oyarzabal played a pivotal role, assisting Merino's two first-half goals and contributing to three goals overall, leaving the hosts in shock.
With this victory, Spain has secured wins in their first two World Cup qualifiers in Group E, while Turkey and Georgia currently sit on three points.