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It all commenced in Scottish soil and the momentum remains unbroken. That memorable night at Hampden marked merely Luis de la Fuente's second as Spain's manager; numerous observers thought it might prove to be his last assignment. Despite a pair of Scott McTominay goals defeating the Spanish national team, while almost all spectators anticipated his tenure would be short-lived, De la Fuente talked about a route opening - and interestingly, the manager previously criticized of being unrealistic proved right.

36 months and four days, Spain moved to within touching distance of global football qualification, and also racking up their 29th consecutive competitive game without defeat, matching the legendary record.

Midfield Masterclass and Decisive Contribution

On a night when the Barcelona midfielder played and Mikel Merino made the difference, Spain defeated Bulgaria 4-0 to secure a perfect dozen from twelve in qualifying, edging closer. The Arsenal midfielder and sometime forward netted the opening two goals and might have earned his second three-goal haul in three recent Spain matches but when brought down in the closing minute, he selflessly passed the penalty to Mikel Oyarzabal instead.

Thus it was the Real Sociedad attacker, scorer of the decisive goal in the European Championship final, who maintained the impressive sequence, matching what Vicente del Bosque's golden generation achieved between 2010 and 2013.

Record Equaled

Currently, readers may have noticed the symbol, and rightly so. Although FIFA might not count it as a loss, during this impressive run Spain actually lose once – seven-five on penalties to Portugal in the Nations League decider back in June. Yet officially at least, this present team has equaled that legendary squad against which all Spanish sides are compared.

Victory in Georgia in thirty days and the record will be exclusively theirs. Along the way they captured the Nations League in 2023, the European Championships in 2024 and advanced to a Nations League final in 2025; they head toward 2026 ranked number one, among the favorites once more, just like old times.

Complete Domination

The match represented "only" versus Bulgaria, admittedly, just as previous matches against Georgia, Bulgaria, and Turkey but that's four victories from four outings, combined score fifteen-zero. There were two moments immediately after the Spanish team scored their first two goals – the third strike being an self-inflicted – but eventually their opponents had not been allowed a single shot on target.

The total count showed: thirty-three to three, Spain demonstrably being Spain. Bulgaria's coach had confessed the sole objective his team could have was to hold out as long as possible. As it turned out, that resistance lasted 33 minutes, and Merino's header represented Spain's eighteenth attempt on target by that point.

Midfield Brilliance

This performance was about the entire team, but at the heart of it was Pedri, ubiquitous and nowhere simultaneously: everywhere for Spain, absent for Bulgaria, unable to detect him as he flitted through their lines. He completed one hundred and one passes by the time he was withdrawn to a rapturous applause on the sixty-sixth minute, and his were the moments of utmost subtlety, the most exquisite touches and the sharpest as well.

When the Valladolid stadium sang his name during the opening period, he had just slipped unmarked into the penalty box again, chipping his shot over Svetoslav Vutsov and onto the woodwork, but it was not only that. He had previously lifted a gorgeous pass into Álex Baena to volley wide and pulled another pass from which Baena was denied.

Continued Pressure

An cleverly weighted pass had set Samu Aghehowa up for what ought to have been the first goal, and a precise lay-off saw Oyarzabal mishit his shot. He got a opportunity of his own only to fail to find a proper connection, volleying wide.

But then, almost immediately after, he delivered an additional ball in. This time Robin Le Normand nodded across and Merino directed in. Spain, who had eighty-eight percent of the ball, then had the lead. The heat map appeared like they had run out of spray paint half way through and a moment later Aghehowa could have made it two-nil.

Brief Resistance

But then in part it's the unpredictability, even the unfairness, that makes football great. And the first time Bulgaria got into Spain's territory they could have leveled the score, Kiril Despodov abruptly breaking away and striking the side-netting.

Introduced for Aghehowa at the half-time, Borja Iglesias had three opportunities in as many minutes before Merino did it again. The cross from the left was superb from Álex Grimaldo and there, jumping above everyone, was Merino to direct the header down and dash off to celebrate round the flagpost.

Closing Stages

As they had after the first goal, Bulgaria survived again, Despodov played through and sending his and their following shot wide and nevertheless the initial instance the visitors had a shot on target it was at the incorrect goal, Atanas Chernev deflecting into his own net. Still it was not completely done, Merino fouled in the legs and stepping aside to let Oyarzabal smash in the ninety-ninth goal of De la Fuente's ongoing reign.