Spain's Under-the-Radar Hero: Mikel Oyarzabal

Mikel Oyarzabal, the one-club man from Real Sociedad, emerged as Spain's ‘most decisive player’ in their recent World Cup match. The 29-year-old striker scored twice, contributing to Spain's dominant 3-0 victory over Austria, marking the team’s first knockout win in 16 years, advancing them to the last 16 of the tournament.

Prior to the game, Lamine Yamal's name had captured fan attention at Los Angeles Stadium, yet it was Oyarzabal who stood out during the match. Guillem Balague, a Spanish football expert, pointed out that despite being less in the spotlight, Oyarzabal has been consistently influential, stating, "He has scored in every final he has ever played. He is one of the most intelligent players we have and he is the other one who can be a match-winner."

Oyarzabal has faced significant challenges throughout his career, including missing the 2022 World Cup due to a serious knee injury. However, he recently showcased exceptional form, tallying 12 goals in 12 international matches prior to the tournament. His two goals against Austria increased his total to 17 in his last 16 appearances, with four of those goals coming during the World Cup.

Former Spain defender Cesar Azpilicueta noted, "Sometimes people are in doubt about Spain because of the centre-forward, but Oyarzabal is doing the job," highlighting his transition from playing on the right wing to a more central role. Oyarzabal has also made history as the first Spanish player to score twice in a World Cup knockout match since Emilio Butragueno in 1986.

Despite Oyarzabal's impressive statistics, he has found support in teammates like Yamal, whose ability to control the ball effectively draws defenders’ attention, allowing for more opportunities for Oyarzabal. Thomas Hitzlsperger remarked, "When you have someone in your team like Lamine Yamal who attracts so much attention, you know you will get more space."

Notably, Oyarzabal has stayed loyal to Real Sociedad throughout his career, experiencing his best scoring season last year with 15 league goals. He credited his goal-scoring instincts to his childhood hockey days, stating, "I could smell goals, and that voice was always in my head."

As Spain continues in the World Cup, they remain unbeaten with 34 games following their win against Austria, just one game shy of equaling their record. They will face either Portugal or Croatia next, and former England striker Dion Dublin expressed that Spain still has more potential to unlock in upcoming matches, indicating they played comfortably against Austria, suggesting they can elevate their game when necessary.