After a disappointing start to their World Cup campaign, Mikel Merino emphasized the importance of staying calm and united within the Spanish team. The Arsenal midfielder described the emotional aftermath of their unexpected 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, which felt akin to a loss despite not being one. Merino highlighted that while no one literally died, defeats can evoke a sense of mourning, and the team must confront their feelings before moving forward, individually and collectively.
Merino was the chosen player to address the media following the match, standing before a room filled with journalists eager for answers. He stated, “No one died, it’s not a mourning exactly, but at times defeats can feel like that,” Over the course of thirty minutes, he addressed questions with clarity, recalling Spain’s 2010 World Cup victory that began with a loss, illustrating that setbacks can lead to success.
“If there’s one thing that’s not good for us, it is for there to be panic,” he reflected. He pointed out the variety of coping mechanisms players have, noting the need to process disappointment and quickly recover. “Like every game that doesn’t go as you’d like, every player lives with that mourning,” he added, indicating that the best response to adversity is to focus on the next match.
He shared the significance of family within the team structure, stating, “Some like to watch the game back straight away, some like to disconnect and think about other things instead. You have to swallow the disappointment. We have to recover as soon as we can. Luis [de la Fuente] always says that it’s about trying to be better tomorrow, even if you’ve won. We’re always self-critical. Personally, I am not one to send messages [to fans]; I think the best message is the next game, turning it around with a win.” This sentiment underlined the importance of humility and collaboration in a competitive environment, where players must support one another despite individual egos.
Merino acknowledged the anger that can arise from disappointing results but reiterated the need to communicate their feelings positively. He clarified his earlier metaphor of mourning, explaining, “It is easy to talk of ‘family’ but when things don’t go well, when they are difficult, is when you truly see that ‘family’ – and I see unity, enthusiasm and a will to play well,” He emphasized the different ways players cope with setbacks, advocating for a proactive approach to confronting their performance.
“It is important to have ego; as a footballer, with all the criticism from outside you need it to feel good on the pitch. But you also need the humility to know that this belongs to everyone. Players come to the national team because they are important [at their clubs] and find a new reality where only a few can play. “That’s what the word ‘family’ is. We have to be united, support each other in every moment. You can be annoyed, angry, but that energy has to be positive.” he stated, noting the mental challenge of waiting too long to rectify mistakes in the expanded World Cup format. He recognized the scrutiny that comes with being in the public eye, saying, “Maybe I didn’t express myself well,”
Merino expressed relief following the draw between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, which gave him hope for a fresh start. “It was an attempt at a metaphor, a comparison. You’re so competitive that when it doesn’t go well, sometimes you go home and don’t even want to talk to your family. That’s why I say it’s like a mourning. Everyone deals with it differently. I like to face it and watch [games back] as soon as possible but that doesn’t mean it’s the best approach for everyone. “What you want after a bad game is to play again straight away to get the bad taste out of your mouth. The risk [of the expanded World Cup] is you have lots of time to go over it; it’s a mental challenge to deal with that, evade all that and be as free as you can mentally.” he remarked, referencing how past champions, including Spain, have bounced back from initial defeats. “That’s a reality; it’s part of the business, the reason we earn what we earn, why football is so big, so important: because you’re here to cover it, to create stories through which we explain things to fans,” he concluded, conveying confidence in the team’s ability to grow from this experience.
