In a friendly in preparation for the 2026 World Cup, Spain was surprised at home. Ferran Torres opened the scoring in the 16th minute, but 11 minutes later Merchas Doski took a powerful left-footed shot from outside the area that silenced the Riazor Stadium in La Coruña. Iraq tied 1-1 and left a clear message: the least favorite teams can also compete.
The match, played on June 4, was Spain’s last training session on European soil before traveling to the United States for the World Cup. Luis de la Fuente rotated the team, gave minutes to debutants like Joan García and Marc Bernal, and saw the return of Gavi after an injury. Spain dominated and took the lead with a goal from Ferran Torres, after an assist from Dani Olmo.
However, Iraq responded quickly in a counterattack. The ball reached the left back Merchas Doski, who controlled it, advanced a few meters and took a shot that hit the top corner. The 26-year-old player was born in Hannover, Germany, to Kurdish-Iraqi parents and plays for Viktoria Plzeň, in the Czech league. He can act as a full-back or midfielder and has established himself as a starter in the Iraq team.
The goal generated wide repercussions on social networks. The video of the goal surpassed 500,000 views in a few hours on X, with comments that highlighted the quality of the shot. Iraqi fans celebrated the tie, while Spanish users expressed surprise at Iraq’s reaction.
The tie serves as a warning for Spain, one of the favorite teams for the title. Iraq, for its part, is adding confidence ahead of the World Cup. The match ended 1-1, with the Iraqi team holding on in the second half despite local pressure.