Mikel Merino: I feared I would never play football again
The Spanish midfielder reflects on his journey from a career-threatening foot injury to becoming a World Cup champion.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Bryan Berlin
In February 2026, Mikel Merino received a diagnosis that threatened to end his career: a stress fracture in his right foot. Doctors predicted a six-month recovery time, effectively ruling him out of Spain's squad for the upcoming World Cup.
Specialists labeled the case "impossible" due to the rarity of the injury, but the midfielder refused to accept defeat. He opted for surgery to insert screws into his foot, clinging to a slim hope of recovery.
The grueling rehabilitation period was shared with his wife, Lola, who was pregnant at the time. Merino recounts that basic tasks became immense challenges, with his reliance on crutches and an electric scooter becoming a test of his personal endurance.
Driven by the trust of manager Luis de la Fuente and sheer willpower, Merino successfully returned to the pitch. His journey culminated in a World Cup title, turning months of pain into the pinnacle of his professional life.
"When I looked at the people I love after the final whistle, I thought: I don't need anything else from life," Merino recalls of his triumph in New Jersey.