Spain: Mikel Merino speaks of "mourning" after draw against Cape Verde

15.06.26 FT World Cup

Spain

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Cabo Verde

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On Monday, Spain suffered a rude awakening in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. Mikel Merino spoke of "mourning."

The Spanish side had to settle for a disappointing 0-0 draw against Cape Verde. Facing the press on Tuesday, Mikel Merino didn't mince his words, going as far as to use the term "mourning."

"Every player deals with mourning in their own way. These are tough moments, filled with frustration. We're already thinking about how to improve," he explained. When pressed by a journalist about the weight of such a strong word, he clarified: "Maybe I didn't express myself well. No one has died, of course—it's not mourning in that sense, but defeats can sometimes make us feel that way."

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

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