Turkey 0-6 Spain Player Ratings: Mikel Merino 10/10 Rated as La Roja Run Riot in a 6-0 Demolition

Group E of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers featured a heavyweight encounter between Turkey and Spain at Medas Konya Buyuksehir Stadium. The visitors dominated the game from the get-go, and within 6 minutes, they scored their first goal. Lamine Yamal looked unbeaten on the flanks, going forward at will and easily beating his counterpart from time to time. Before the half-time whistle, they had already scored three goals through one goal from Pedri, while Merino scored a brace. Turkey were just chasing the shadows throughout; only a few showed determination and fought back.

Even after the break, La Roja continued their onslaught and within 10 minutes scored three more goals, leaving Turkey helpless at home. The Arsenal star Mikel Merino completed his hat-trick. The Real Sociedad striker Oyarzabal showcased his creative ability with a hat-trick of assists. Spanish football players were scoring goals for fun while the opposition struggled to get near the goal. Truly a night to forget for them. Here are the Turkey vs Spain player ratings.

Spain Player Ratings vs Turkey

Here are the Spain player ratings.

Goalkeeper

Unai Simón - 7.0: Had very little to do for most of the game, a testament to his team's dominance. However, he was alert when needed. We noticed he made two crucial saves to deny Kenan Yıldız, preserving his clean sheet with confidence. His distribution was calm and composed, with an 88% pass accuracy. A quiet but solid night for the captain.

Defenders

Pedro Porro - 7.0: An energetic display down the right flank. He was a constant outlet, creating three chances and putting in some dangerous crosses. Defensively, he was solid enough, making five tackles and recovering the ball seven times. However, he was dribbled past on three occasions, showing a minor vulnerability that better opposition might exploit.

Robin Le Normand - 7.5: A rock at the heart of the defense. He was commanding in the air, winning three of his five aerial duels. What stood out to us was his incredible composure on the ball, completing 96% of his passes. He made seven clearances and was a calming presence throughout.

Dean Huijsen - 7.5: Looked incredibly composed for a player in the national setup. He read the game well, making eight clearances and three crucial blocked shots. His passing from the back was excellent, and he never seemed flustered. A very mature performance that promises a bright future for Spain's backline.

Marc Cucurella - 7.0: A typically tenacious performance from the left-back. He was strong in the tackle, winning five duels and making four tackles. He contributed well to the build-up play with a 90% pass accuracy. From our perspective, he sometimes held onto the ball a moment too long, but his defensive work rate was undeniable.

Midfielders

Martín Zubimendi - 7.5: The silent controller in midfield. He was exceptional before being substituted, dictating the tempo with a 94% pass completion rate. He was tidy, efficient, and broke up play effectively with two tackles. His performance allowed the more creative midfielders ahead of him to flourish.

Pedri - 9.5: Absolutely magical. We were left in awe of his performance. Scoring two goals from midfield, he was a constant threat. His vision and movement were sublime, creating two big chances for his teammates. He was simply unplayable, gliding across the pitch with an elegance that defied the Turkish defense.

Mikel Merino - 10: A perfect performance and our clear Man of the Match. Scoring a hat-trick from midfield is a rare feat, and he made it look easy. Beyond his goals, he was everywhere, creating chances, winning duels, and driving the team forward. He was involved in everything good Spain did. A truly flawless display from the highest-rated player on the pitch.

Forwards

Lamine Yamal - 9.5: What can you even say? The teenager was electric. He provided two assists and created an incredible four chances, three of them being big ones. His dribbling was a nightmare for the Turkish defense; he completed eight successful dribbles. He had the defenders on skates all evening. An absolutely breathtaking talent.

Nico Williams - 6.5: His evening was cruelly cut short by injury, but he made his mark. He provided a lovely assist and looked sharp and dangerous down the left. He was causing all sorts of problems with his pace before he had to be substituted. A real shame, as he was on course for a great game.

Mikel Oyarzabal - 9.0: The assist king. Providing a hat-trick of assists is an incredible achievement. His intelligence and link-up play were on a different level. He was unselfish, constantly finding teammates in better positions and dissecting the Turkish defense with his key passes. A masterclass in creative forward play.

Substitutes

Ferran Torres - 7.5: Came on for the injured Williams and made an immediate impact, scoring a goal with a composed finish. He looked sharp and hungry, constantly testing the keeper.

Jorge de Frutos - 6.0: Replaced the brilliant Pedri and helped see the game out. Didn't have a huge impact, but kept possession well.

Fermín López - 6.5: Showed good energy after coming on for Oyarzabal. Had a shot blocked and looked eager to get involved.

Rodri - 6.5: Slotted in seamlessly for Zubimendi, keeping the midfield ticking over with his usual composure and control.

Álvaro Morata - 6.0: Came on for Yamal and was a physical presence up front but was caught offside twice and didn't really get a clear sight of goal.

Manager

L. De la Fuente Castillo - 9.0: His game plan was executed to perfection. He set his team up to be ruthless, creative, and defensively solid. The high press and fluid attacking movement completely overwhelmed Turkey. A tactical masterclass from the Spanish coach.

Turkey Player Ratings vs Spain

Here are the Turkey player ratings.

Goalkeeper

Uğurcan Çakır - 6.0: A strange night for the Turkish keeper. He conceded six goals, which is a nightmare for any goalie. However, he also made six saves, some of which were excellent stops. From our perspective, the scoreline could have easily been double digits without him. He was let down completely by his defense.

Defenders

Mert Müldür - 4.0: Was completely overrun on the right side. He struggled to cope with the pace and trickery of Spain's wingers and was largely ineffective before being substituted. A very difficult 63 minutes for him.

Merih Demiral - 4.5: A torturous evening for the centre-back. He was constantly pulled out of position by Spain's fluid attack. While he made a few clearances, he was part of a defensive unit that simply had no answers and looked shell-shocked.

Abdülkerim Bardakcı - 4.5: Just like his defensive partner, he had a night to forget. He was unable to contain the movement of Spain's forwards. His passing stats were decent, but that means very little when your team concedes six goals.

Eren Elmalı - 3.5: Possibly the worst performer on the pitch. He had an absolute nightmare against Lamine Yamal. He was dribbled past with ease and offered no protection on the left flank. It was no surprise to see him substituted.

Midfielders

İsmail Yüksek - 5.0: Battled hard in midfield but was completely overwhelmed. He was tasked with an impossible job of trying to contain Spain's creative hub. He lost the ball too often under pressure and couldn't provide a screen for his beleaguered defense.

Hakan Çalhanoğlu - 5.0: As the captain and creative leader, much more was expected. He was completely anonymous. He couldn't get on the ball or influence the game in any meaningful way. It felt like the game passed him by entirely before his substitution.

Arda Güler - 6.0: One of the very few Turkish players who can hold their head up. He never stopped trying to make things happen, taking players on and attempting shots from distance. He was fighting a losing battle, often crowded out, but his effort was clear to see.

Yunus Akgün - 4.5: A ghost in the first half. He was completely uninvolved in the play and offered nothing offensively or defensively. His substitution at half-time was inevitable and necessary.

Forwards

Kerem Aktürkoğlu - 5.0: He ran his socks off but was chasing shadows for 90 minutes. He was isolated up front, starved of any real service. It's hard to be critical when your team is so comprehensively outplayed across the park.

Kenan Yıldız - 5.5: Looked like Turkey's most likely source of a goal in the first half. He forced a good save from Unai Simón and wasn't afraid to take shots. However, his decision-making was sometimes poor, and he lost possession far too often, killing potential attacks.

Substitutes

Oguz Aydin - 5.0: Came on at half-time but couldn't change the tide of the game. The Spanish dominance continued.

Zeki Çelik - 4.5: Replaced Müldür but fared no better against the relentless Spanish attack.

Ferdi Kadioglu - 5.0: Was a slight improvement on Elmalı, but the damage was already well and truly done.

Orkun Kökçü - 5.5: Tried to inject some energy, taking a couple of shots from range. At least he showed some intent.

Salih Özcan - 5.0: A late cameo with the game long over. Had little time to make any impact.

Manager

V. Montella - 3.0: From our perspective, he got his tactics disastrously wrong. His team was set up in a way that invited pressure, and they were torn apart from the first minute. There seemed to be no plan to counter Spain's strengths, and his side looked completely unprepared for the onslaught.