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It all started in Scottish soil and the momentum remains unbroken. That fateful night at Hampden represented merely Luis de la Fuente's second as Spain's head coach; many believed it might turn out to be his last assignment. Despite a pair of Scott McTominay goals defeating the Spanish national team, while virtually everyone expected his spell would be short-lived, the coach talked about a pathway opening - and remarkably, the man previously criticized of being unrealistic proved right.

Three years and four days, Spain moved extremely close of World Cup qualification, while simultaneously racking up their twenty-ninth straight competitive game without defeat, matching the historic record.

Midfield Masterclass and Merino's Impact

During an evening when Pedri featured and Mikel Merino created the decisive impact, Spain overcame Bulgaria 4-0 to accumulate a perfect dozen from twelve in qualifying, edging closer. The Arsenal midfielder and sometime forward netted the first two goals and might have secured his second hat-trick in three recent Spain matches but after brought down in the closing minute, he generously handed the spot-kick to Mikel Oyarzabal instead.

Thus it was La Real attacker, scorer of the decisive goal in the Euro 2024 showpiece, who maintained the remarkable sequence, matching what Vicente del Bosque's legendary squad accomplished between 2010 and 2013.

Record Equaled

Currently, readers may have observed the asterisk, and correctly so. Although FIFA may not classify it as a loss, during this impressive run Spain actually lose once – 7-5 on penalties to Portugal in the Nations League final back in June. However officially at least, this present team has equaled that legendary team against which all Spanish sides are compared.

Win in Georgia in a month 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 approach 2026 sitting number one, among the favorites once more, just like old times.

Complete Domination

This was "only" versus Bulgaria, it is true, just as previous matches against Georgia, Bulgaria, and Turkey but that's four wins from four, combined score fifteen-zero. Occurred two moments immediately after the Spanish team scored their opening goals – the third being an own goal – but eventually their rivals had not been permitted a single shot on target.

Overall count read: 33-3, Spain demonstrably playing as Spain. Bulgaria's coach had confessed the sole objective his team could have was to resist as long as possible. As it turned out, that defensive effort lasted thirty-three minutes, and Merino's header represented Spain's eighteenth attempt on target by that point.

Midfield Brilliance

This performance was about all of them, but at the heart of it was Pedri, ubiquitous and elusive simultaneously: present for Spain, nowhere for Bulgaria, unable to detect him as he flitted through their defense. He completed one hundred and one passes by the time he was substituted to a rapturous applause on 66 minutes, and his were the instances of greatest subtlety, the most exquisite touches and the sharpest too.

When the Valladolid stadium chanted his name midway the opening period, he had just slipped unnoticed into the area again, chipping his shot over Svetoslav Vutsov and onto the crossbar, but it was not just that. He had already lifted a magnificent pass into Álex Baena to strike wide and pulled an additional back from which Baena was denied.

Sustained Attack

A disguised delivery had set Samu Aghehowa up for what should have been the first goal, and a precise pass saw Oyarzabal mishit his attempt. He received a chance of his own only to fail to find a proper contact, striking wide.

But then, almost immediately after, he delivered another ball in. This time Robin Le Normand nodded across and Merino directed in. Spain, who had 88% of the ball, then had the lead. The heat map looked like they had exhausted supply of spray paint midway through and a little later Aghehowa might have made it two-nil.

Brief Resistance

But then in part it's the unpredictability, even the unfairness, that makes football special. And the first time Bulgaria advanced into Spain's territory they could have equalized, Kiril Despodov abruptly sprinting away and striking the side-netting.

Brought on for Aghehowa at the break, Borja Iglesias had three chances in as many minutes before Merino scored once more. The delivery from the left flank was excellent from Álex Grimaldo and there, jumping above all defenders, was Merino to power the header down and sprint to celebrate around the flagpost.

Final Moments

As they had after the opener, 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 finished, Merino kicked in the legs and stepping aside to let Oyarzabal smash in the ninety-ninth goal of De la Fuente's ongoing tenure.