MERINO SCORES TWICE AS ARSENAL TRIO WAIT ON THE FINAL

Mikel Merino came off the bench in stoppage time on July 6 and scored the goal that sent Spain into the World Cup quarterfinals. Four days later in Arlington, he did it again, poking in an 88th minute rebound to beat Belgium 2 1. Arsenal is getting more out of its cheapest Spanish signing than its two most expensive ones combined, and that gap is deciding who actually plays as the tournament reaches the July 19 final.

Arsenal spent roughly 81 million pounds combined on Martin Zubimendi and David Raya, two Spain internationals who have not played a single minute at this World Cup. Merino, the cheapest of the three at around 32 million pounds, is the one deciding matches. Reputation and price tag are not lining up with playing time, and that split is the real story of Arsenal's Spanish trio heading into the final against Argentina.

July 6, Arlington. A Sub Wins the Round of 16.

Spain needed a moment against Portugal and got it from a player who started the match on the bench. Merino entered in the second half and scored deep in stoppage time to win the round of 16 game 1 0, sending Spain to a quarterfinal against Belgium. Four days later, still not a starter, he struck again, converting a rebound in the 88th minute of a 2 1 win that also featured a Fabian Ruiz goal. Two goals, two rounds, zero starts. Spain then beat France 2 0 in the semifinal on July 14, with Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro doing the scoring, and Oyarzabal's fifth goal of the tournament put Spain into the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium against Argentina.

81 Million Pounds for Two Bench Seats

Zubimendi cost Arsenal 51 million pounds when his release clause was triggered in the summer of 2025, a move Real Madrid also chased before Mikel Arteta got there first. Raya cost 27 million pounds on a permanent deal in 2024, on top of a 3 million pound loan fee the year before, bringing his true price to roughly 30 million. Add it up and Arsenal has committed 81 million pounds to two Spain internationals who, as of Spain's semifinal, had not taken the field once across six World Cup matches. That is not a scouting failure. It is a squad built for depth, and depth by definition sits until it is needed.

Unai Simon Has Not Missed a Match

Luis de la Fuente has started Unai Simon in goal for every single Spain fixture at this World Cup, ignoring the noise around Raya's domestic form entirely. Raya has racked up three straight Premier League Golden Gloves and 19 clean sheets in the league this season for Arsenal, numbers that outstrip Simon's club output by a wide margin. None of it has moved De la Fuente. Zubimendi has drawn public praise from his own manager, who called him the second best player in his position in the world, and still has not dislodged Manchester City's Rodri from the defensive midfield spot. Being the best option on paper and being the chosen option are two different jobs, and Arsenal is paying for both versions of two of its players right now.

This Is Not a Snub. It Is a System.

De la Fuente is doing what any front office does with a deep, healthy roster during a title run: he is rewarding whoever is winning games in the moment and shelving proven quality until it is strictly necessary. It is the same logic a tech company uses hoarding patents it will never ship. The asset's value is the option to use it, not the using of it. Zubimendi and Raya are Arsenal's two most expensive insurance policies, still unopened. If Rodri picks up a knock or Simon has a bad final, both get activated instantly, and neither has lost a step from sitting.

Merino, meanwhile, has turned two substitute appearances into the best return on investment of the three deals. Thirty two million pounds and two knockout round winners is the kind of value that gets a player a new contract offer before the ink dries on the current one.

The final is July 19 against Argentina, the same side that beat England 2 1 in the other semifinal. Spain's path through France, Argentina and England as the last four standing shows exactly how tight the bracket has been, and Arsenal fans get to watch three of their own on the same pitch either way. If Spain needs a goal that no starter can find, expect the ball to end up at Merino's feet again. He has earned that much. Zubimendi and Raya have earned the shirt on the plane home, whether or not it ever leaves the bench.