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It all commenced in Scottish soil and the momentum continues. That memorable evening at Hampden represented merely Luis de la Fuente's second as Spain's head coach; numerous observers thought it could prove to be his final match in charge. Despite two Scott McTominay goals defeating the Spanish national team, while virtually everyone expected his spell would be brief, De la Fuente talked about a pathway emerging - and interestingly, the manager previously criticized of being unrealistic turned out right.

Three years and later, Spain moved extremely close of global football participation, while simultaneously racking up their 29th straight official game without defeat, equaling the legendary record.

Midfield Masterclass and Merino's Impact

During an evening when the Barcelona midfielder played and Mikel Merino created the decisive impact, Spain overcame Bulgaria 4-0 to accumulate 12 points from twelve in World Cup qualification, nearing advancement. The Arsenal midfielder and occasional forward scored the first two goals and could have secured his second hat-trick in three recent Spain matches but when fouled in the closing minute, he selflessly passed the spot-kick to Mikel Oyarzabal instead.

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

Historic Achievement

Currently, readers may have noticed the symbol, and correctly so. While FIFA may not count it as a loss, during this remarkable run Spain did suffer defeat once – seven-five on penalties to Portugal in the Nations League decider back in June. However formally at least, this present team has matched that historic team against which all Spanish sides are measured.

Win in Georgia in a month and the achievement will be exclusively theirs. En route they won the Nations League in 2023, the European Championships in 2024 and advanced to a Nations League final in 2025; they approach 2026 sitting No. 1, among the favorites once more, reminiscent of previous eras.

Complete Domination

The match represented "only" versus Bulgaria, admittedly, similar to previous encounters against Georgia, Bulgaria, and Turkey but that's four wins from four outings, aggregate score fifteen-zero. There were two instances immediately after the Spanish team obtained their opening goals – the third being an own goal – but eventually their opponents had not been permitted a single shot on target.

Overall count read: thirty-three to three, Spain demonstrably being Spain. Bulgaria's coach had confessed the sole objective his team could have was to resist as long as they could. Ultimately, that defensive effort lasted 33 minutes, and Merino's header represented Spain's eighteenth attempt on target already.

Midfield Brilliance

This performance was about all of them, but at the core of it was Pedri, ubiquitous and nowhere at once: everywhere for Spain, absent for Bulgaria, unable to track him as he flitted through their lines. He executed one hundred and one passes by the time he was withdrawn to a standing ovation on the sixty-sixth minute, and his were the instances of greatest subtlety, the finest touches and the most incisive as well.

When the Valladolid stadium chanted his name midway the opening period, he had just drifted unmarked into the penalty box again, chipping his shot over Svetoslav Vutsov and onto the woodwork, but it was not only that. He had already floated a gorgeous pass into Álex Baena to strike wide and pulled another pass from which Baena was blocked.

Sustained Attack

An cleverly weighted delivery had set Samu Aghehowa up for what should have been the first goal, and a precise lay-off saw Oyarzabal mishit his shot. He received a chance of his own only to fail to find a clean contact, striking wide.

But then, shortly after, he delivered an additional ball in. This time Robin Le Normand headed across and Merino headed in. Spain, who had eighty-eight percent of the possession, then had the advantage. The positioning chart appeared like they had exhausted supply of marking paint midway through and a little later Aghehowa might have made it two-nil.

Brief Resistance

But then in part it's the uncertainty, even the injustice, that makes football great. And the initial occasion Bulgaria got into Spain's territory they could have leveled the score, Kiril Despodov suddenly sprinting away and striking the outside of the net.

Introduced for Aghehowa at the break, Borja Iglesias had three chances in as many minutes before Merino did it again. The delivery from the left was superb from Álex Grimaldo and there, leaping above all defenders, was Merino to power the header down and dash off to do laps around the corner flag.

Closing Stages

Similar to their reaction after the first goal, Bulgaria survived once more, Despodov sent through and putting his and their following shot wide and nevertheless the first time the visitors had a shot on target it was at the wrong end, Atanas Chernev deflecting into his own net. Still it was not quite done, Merino fouled in the legs and stepping aside to let Oyarzabal blast in the 99th goal of De la Fuente's continuing tenure.