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It all began in Scottish soil and the momentum remains unbroken. That memorable evening at Hampden marked merely Luis de la Fuente's second as Spain's head coach; numerous observers thought it might prove to be his final match in charge. Although two Scott McTominay goals overcoming La Furia Roja, while almost all spectators anticipated his tenure would be short-lived, the coach spoke about a route opening - and remarkably, the man previously criticized of living in Disneyland turned out right.

36 months and four days, Spain advanced extremely close of global football qualification, and also achieving their twenty-ninth consecutive official game without defeat, equaling the legendary record.

Pedri's Influence and Merino's Impact

On a night when the Barcelona midfielder featured and Mikel Merino created the difference, Spain overcame Bulgaria four-nil to accumulate 12 points from twelve in qualifying, edging closer. The Arsenal midfielder and sometime forward netted the first two goals and might have earned his second consecutive three-goal haul in three recent Spain matches but when brought down in the closing minute, he generously handed the penalty to Mikel Oyarzabal instead.

Therefore it was the Real Sociedad striker, scorer of the winning goal in the Euro 2024 final, who continued the impressive sequence, equaling what Vicente del Bosque's golden generation achieved between 2010 and 2013.

Record Equaled

Currently, you might have observed the symbol, and rightly so. While FIFA may not classify it as a defeat, during this remarkable run Spain actually suffer defeat once – 7-5 on penalties to Portugal in the Nations League decider back in June. However officially at least, this current team has equaled that historic team against which all Spanish national teams are measured.

Victory in Georgia in thirty days and the record will be exclusively theirs. En route they won the Nations League in 2023, the European Championships in 2024 and reached a Nations League final in 2025; they head toward 2026 ranked No. 1, among the frontrunners once more, reminiscent of previous eras.

Complete Domination

The match represented "only" against Bulgaria, it is true, just as previous encounters against Georgia, Bulgaria, and Turkey but that's four wins from four, aggregate score 15-0. Occurred two instances immediately after La Selección obtained their opening goals – the third being an self-inflicted – but ultimately their rivals had not been permitted a solitary shot on target.

The total statistics read: 33-3, 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 thirty-three minutes, and Merino's header represented Spain's 18th attempt on target by that point.

Pedri's Masterclass

The display was about the entire team, but at the core of it was Pedri, ubiquitous and elusive simultaneously: present for Spain, absent for Bulgaria, incapable to detect him as he flitted through their defense. He completed 101 passes by the time he was withdrawn to a rapturous applause on 66 minutes, and his were the instances of greatest subtlety, the finest touches and the sharpest as well.

When the José Zorrilla chanted his name midway the first half, he had just drifted unnoticed into the area again, dinking his shot over Svetoslav Vutsov and onto the woodwork, but it was not only that. He had previously floated a gorgeous pass into Álex Baena to strike wide and pulled another pass from which Baena was denied.

Continued Pressure

A disguised delivery had set Samu Aghehowa up for what ought to have been the opener, and a precise lay-off saw Oyarzabal scuff his attempt. He received a chance of his own only to be unable to find a proper connection, 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 ball, now had the advantage. The positioning chart appeared like they had run out of marking 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 initial occasion Bulgaria got into Spain's half they might have equalized, Kiril Despodov suddenly breaking away and striking the side-netting.

Introduced for Aghehowa at the half-time, Borja Iglesias had multiple opportunities in as many minutes before Merino scored once more. The delivery from the left was superb from Álex Grimaldo and there, leaping above all defenders, was Merino to power the header downward and sprint to celebrate round the flagpost.

Final Moments

Similar to their reaction after the opener, Bulgaria escaped once more, Despodov played through and sending his and their second shot wide and yet the initial instance the away team had a shot on target it was at the wrong end, Atanas Chernev deflecting into his own net. Yet it was not quite 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.