🔗 Share this article

Everything started in Scottish soil and this impressive streak persists. That fateful evening at Hampden marked merely Luis de la Fuente's second outing as Spain's head coach; numerous observers thought it might prove to be his final match in charge. Although two Scott McTominay goals defeating La Furia Roja, while virtually everyone expected his spell would be brief, the coach talked about a pathway emerging - and remarkably, the man previously criticized of living in Disneyland proved correct.

36 months and later, Spain moved extremely close of World Cup qualification, while simultaneously racking up their 29th straight competitive game unbeaten, matching the historic record.

Pedri's Influence and Merino's Impact

On a night when the Barcelona midfielder played and Mikel Merino made the decisive impact, Spain overcame Bulgaria 4-0 to secure 12 points from twelve in qualifying, edging closer. The Arsenal playmaker and sometime forward netted the opening two goals and could have earned his second three-goal haul in three Spain appearances but when brought down in the closing minute, he generously handed the penalty to Mikel Oyarzabal instead.

Therefore it was La Real striker, goal-getter of the decisive goal in the Euro 2024 final, who continued the remarkable sequence, matching what Vicente del Bosque's golden generation accomplished between 2010 and 2013.

Record Equaled

Currently, you might have noticed the asterisk, and correctly so. Although FIFA might not count it as a loss, during this remarkable run Spain actually suffer defeat once – seven-five on penalties to Portugal in the Nations League decider back in June. However officially at least, this present team has matched that legendary team against which all Spanish national teams are measured.

Victory in Georgia in thirty days and the record will be exclusively theirs. En route they captured the Nations League in 2023, the European Championships in 2024 and reached a Nations League final in 2025; they head toward 2026 ranked No. 1, among the favorites once more, just like old times.

Total Control

The match represented "only" versus Bulgaria, admittedly, just as previous encounters against Georgia, Bulgaria, and Turkey but that's four wins from four outings, aggregate score fifteen-zero. Occurred two moments immediately after La Selección obtained their first two goals – the third strike being an own goal – but ultimately their rivals had not been permitted a solitary shot on target.

The total count showed: thirty-three to three, Spain clearly being Spain. Bulgaria's coach had admitted the only objective his team could have was to resist as long as they could. As it turned out, that resistance lasted thirty-three minutes, and Merino's header constituted Spain's eighteenth attempt on target already.

Midfield Brilliance

The display was about all of them, but at the core of it was Pedri, ubiquitous and nowhere at once: present for Spain, absent for Bulgaria, incapable to track him as he darted through their lines. He executed one hundred and one passes by the time he was withdrawn to a standing ovation on 66 minutes, and his were the moments of utmost subtlety, the finest touches and the sharpest as well.

When the José Zorrilla sang his name during the opening period, he had just slipped unnoticed into the penalty box once more, dinking his shot over Svetoslav Vutsov and onto the woodwork, but it was not just that. He had previously floated a magnificent pass into Álex Baena to volley wide and delivered another back from which Baena was denied.

Continued Pressure

A disguised delivery had set Samu Aghehowa up for what ought to have been the first goal, and a neat pass saw Oyarzabal mishit his attempt. He received a chance of his own only to be unable to find a proper contact, striking wide.

But then, shortly after, he floated an additional ball in. This time Robin Le Normand nodded across and Merino headed in. Spain, who had eighty-eight percent of the possession, then had the lead. The heat map appeared like they had exhausted supply of spray paint half way through and a moment later Aghehowa might have made it two-nil.

Momentary Threat

But then in part it's the unpredictability, even the injustice, that makes football special. And the first time Bulgaria advanced into Spain's half they could have equalized, Kiril Despodov suddenly breaking away and striking the side-netting.

Introduced for Aghehowa at the half-time, Borja Iglesias had three chances in as many minutes before Merino did it once more. The delivery from the left flank was superb from Álex Grimaldo and there, jumping above all defenders, was Merino to direct the header downward and dash off to celebrate round the flagpost.

Closing Stages

Similar to their reaction after the opener, Bulgaria survived once more, Despodov played through and putting his and their second shot wide and yet the initial instance the away team had a shot on target it was at the wrong end, Atanas Chernev turning into his team's goal. Yet it was not completely done, Merino kicked in the legs and allowing to let Oyarzabal smash in the 99th goal of De la Fuente's continuing reign.