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It all started in Scottish soil and the momentum remains unbroken. That fateful night at Hampden marked only Luis de la Fuente's second as Spain's head coach; numerous observers thought it might turn out to be his final match in charge. Despite two Scott McTominay goals overcoming the Spanish national team, whereas almost all spectators expected his tenure would be brief, De la Fuente spoke about a pathway emerging - and interestingly, the manager once accused of being unrealistic proved right.

36 months and later, Spain moved to within touching distance of global football participation, and also achieving their twenty-ninth straight official game unbeaten, equaling the historic record.

Pedri's Influence and Merino's Impact

During an evening when Pedri played and Mikel Merino made the decisive impact, Spain defeated Bulgaria 4-0 to secure a perfect dozen from twelve in World Cup qualification, edging closer. The Gunners' playmaker and sometime striker scored the first two goals and could have earned his second hat-trick in three Spain appearances but when fouled in the final minute, he selflessly passed the spot-kick to Mikel Oyarzabal instead.

Therefore it was La Real attacker, scorer of the winning goal in the Euro 2024 showpiece, who maintained the impressive sequence, equaling what Vicente del Bosque's legendary squad accomplished between 2010 and 2013.

Record Equaled

Now, you might have noticed the asterisk, and correctly so. While FIFA might not classify it as a loss, during this impressive run Spain actually lose once – seven-five on penalties to Portugal in the continental tournament decider back in June. However formally at least, this present team has matched that historic squad against which all Spanish sides are compared.

Win in Georgia in thirty days and the achievement will be exclusively theirs. En route they captured the Nations League in 2023, the European Championships in 2024 and reached a Nations League final in 2025; they approach 2026 ranked number one, among the favorites once more, just like previous eras.

Complete Domination

The match represented "only" versus Bulgaria, it is true, similar to previous encounters against Georgia, Bulgaria, and Turkey but that's four victories from four, combined score 15-0. Occurred two instances immediately after La Selección obtained their first two goals – the third strike being an self-inflicted – but eventually their opponents had not been permitted a solitary shot on target.

Overall statistics read: 33-3, Spain clearly playing as Spain. Bulgaria's coach had confessed the sole objective his team could have was to resist as long as they could. As it turned out, that resistance lasted thirty-three minutes, and Merino's header constituted Spain's 18th attempt on target by that point.

Pedri's Masterclass

The display was about the entire team, but at the heart of it was Pedri, ubiquitous and nowhere at once: present for Spain, absent for Bulgaria, incapable to detect him as he darted through their defense. He completed one hundred and one passes by the time he was withdrawn to a rapturous applause on the sixty-sixth minute, and his were the instances of greatest subtlety, the finest touches and the sharpest too.

When the Valladolid stadium sang his name during the first half, he had just slipped unnoticed into the area again, dinking his shot over Svetoslav Vutsov and onto the crossbar, but it was not only that. He had already floated a gorgeous pass into Álex Baena to strike wide and pulled an additional back from which Baena was denied.

Sustained Attack

A disguised pass had set Samu Aghehowa up for what should have been the first goal, and a precise lay-off saw Oyarzabal mishit his attempt. He got a opportunity of his own only to fail to find a clean contact, volleying wide.

But then, almost immediately after, he delivered another ball in. This time Robin Le Normand headed across and Merino headed in. Spain, who had 88% of the ball, now had the lead. The heat map looked like they had run out of spray paint half way through and a little later Aghehowa might have made it two.

Brief Resistance

But then in part it's the uncertainty, even the unfairness, that makes football special. And the first time Bulgaria got into Spain's half they might have leveled the score, Kiril Despodov suddenly breaking away and hitting the side-netting.

Brought on for Aghehowa at the break, Borja Iglesias had multiple opportunities in as many minutes before Merino did it once more. The delivery from the left flank was excellent from Álex Grimaldo and there, jumping above all defenders, was Merino to direct the header downward and dash off to do laps 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 yet the first time the visitors had a shot on target it was at the incorrect goal, Atanas Chernev turning into his team's goal. Yet it was not completely finished, Merino fouled in the legs and allowing to let Oyarzabal blast in the ninety-ninth goal of De la Fuente's ongoing reign.