Merino at the treble as Spain thump Turkey

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.

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.

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, sending an early warning that they intend to arrive at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico as favourites.

Spain, who won the tournament for the only time in 2010, have six points, with Georgia and Turkey on three each. Bulgaria are bottom with zero.