Deborah Akinyosoye
Mikel Merino struck a hat-trick as Spain hammered Turkey 6-0 on Sunday to take charge of their 2026 World Cup qualifying group.
Barcelona’s Pedri Gonzalez netted twice with Ferran Torres also on target as Luis de la Fuente’s side topped Group E with their second victory from their opening two matches.
After a comfortable 3-0 win in Bulgaria on Thursday, the coach pledged his Euro 2024-winning team had an even higher level to reach and they proved that in Konya.
“We knew we had to come out strongly from the start and that’s what we did, dominating,” said Pedri.
“I think the team was able to keep that intensity through to the end of the game and the result reflects that.”
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Some billed the match as a battle between Barcelona and Spain starlet Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid and Turkey playmaker Arda Guler, but the gulf in class between the sides did not allow for any reasonable comparison.
Pedri broke the deadlock in the sixth minute with a fine finish from the edge of the box as Spain made a quick start.
Arsenal’s Merino netted the first of his treble by blasting home at the end of a superb team move as Spain shredded Turkey’s defence with quick, incisive passing.
At the other end Guler set up Kerem Akturkoglu, who hit the post, but was later shown to be offside.
Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams was taken off before the break with an apparent thigh injury in the only negative note for Spain.
Merino netted his second in first-half stoppage time after being teed up by Mikel Oyarzabal, who produced a hat-trick of assists.
Electric 18-year-old Yamal played in Barcelona team-mate Torres for Spain’s fourth in the 53rd minute and then laid the ball off for Merino to curl home from distance for his treble.
“I’m very happy for winning, to pick up six points, for doing it in this way, and for scoring three goals, which is not normal, the first hat-trick of my career,” said Merino.
Yamal had good opportunities to score himself but blazed over and squeezed a shot narrowly wide.
With Turkey six goals down, tempers frayed, the frustrated Guler shoved a grinning Yamal as the pair squared off.
De la Fuente took off Yamal soon after as Spain saw out their emphatic victory without further incident.
The coach brought on Rayo Vallecano winger Jorge de Frutos in the final 20 minutes for his international debut.
Spain sent an early warning that they intend to arrive at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico as favourites.
La Roja, who won the tournament for the only time in 2010, has six points, with Georgia and Turkey on three each. Bulgaria are bottom with zero.