Arsenal star says injury could have ended his career

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino revealed that a severe injury nearly brought an end to his playing career before he recovered in time to feature for Spain at the 2026 World Cup. Merino returned to action only weeks before Spain finalized their squad, having missed significant playing time for the Gunners at the end of the previous campaign.

Merino explained that confronting the uncertainty of whether he would ever play football again shifted his perspective and taught him how to handle frustration. Now fully recovered, the versatile midfielder aims to maintain his fitness and play a vital role for Arsenal across the ongoing Premier League season.