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An injury nearly ended his dream…and he became a nightmare for all defenses
Every time Spain plays at the 2026 World Cup, attention automatically turns to young star Lamine Yamal. Cameras follow him from the moment he steps on the pitch, fans wear his jersey and analysts speak of his exceptional talent as the leader of a new generation of Spanish football.
But while Yamal steals the spotlight, another player continues to play his role quietly and confidently, leaving his defining mark on the team’s results without as much attention. He is Mikel Oyarzabal, the Real Sociedad striker who has become the most lethal weapon in the Spanish coach’s side and has proved once again that major tournaments are not always decided by the most famous player, but by the player who can make the most of the moment.
And in the round of 32 against Austria, Oyarzabal produced a superb performance, scoring twice in a 3-0 win for Spain, giving his country their first World Cup knockout stage victory in 16 years and confirming that he is enjoying the best-ever period of his football career.
The person who works in the spotlight
Despite Lamin Yamal’s immense popularity, many within Spain consider Oyarzabal to be the quietest and most influential player in the attacking system.
Famous Spanish journalist Jim Balague described him as “the invisible man”, explaining that the player has a unique ability to appear in the most important moments until he becomes a specialist in scoring goals in finals and big confrontations.
Balaji noted that Yamal remains the focus of opponents and fans, but Oyarzabal is one of the smartest players on the pitch and has the personality of a player who can decide matches when Spain need someone to put the ball in the net.
These qualities made him transform from a player playing various tactical roles to a striker on whom the Spanish national team relied entirely to finish off attacks, reports the BBC. “BBC:“.
An injury that changed the course of his career
Oyarzabal started his international career in the Spanish national team about ten years ago, when he was invited to the national team at the age of nineteen.
But his World Cup dream was painfully delayed after he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, which ruled him out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in one of the toughest stages of his career.
Despite the seriousness of the injury, the player came back stronger than ever and many observers even confirm that the current version of Oyarzabal is the best since he arrived at Real Sociedad.
Since his recovery, his level has improved significantly and he has begun to reap the rewards of the long work he put in to get back on the pitch, managing to turn the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup into a new motivation to shine.
The numbers confirm that he is in his prime
The current numbers show the development of the Spanish striker. He has scored 12 goals in his last 12 internationals, while a brace against Austria took his tally to 17 in his last 16 starts for the national team, including four goals in the current World Cup campaign.
Balaji believes that the last two seasons have been the best of Oyarzabal’s career, stressing that the player has become more determined and mature today, after he managed to develop his skills in the penalty area and make the most of opportunities.
He also became the first Spanish player to score 2 goals in a World Cup qualifier against Denmark in 1986 since Emilio Butragueño, an achievement that reflects what he has to offer with the national team.
As for the European level, only Norwegian Erling Haaland, who scored 22 goals, surpasses him in the number of international goals since the beginning of last year, and Oyarzabal continues to chase him steadily.
Yamal makes the difference.. and Oyarzabal takes advantage of the spaces
Although Oyarzabal is the goalscorer, much of his success is due to the immense influence of Lamine Yamal.
The Barcelona winger’s exceptional talent forces opponents to double down on him, giving his teammates more room to move in the final third.
Oyarzabal made the most of this against Austria as he cleverly moved in behind defenders and used the spaces created by Yamal, succeeding in finishing attacks with great efficiency.
Former Germany player Thomas Hitzlsberger explained that the presence of a player of Yamal’s size draws the attention of the entire defense, allowing a striker like Oyarzabal to have more opportunities in the penalty area, adding that the Spanish striker knows exactly how to take advantage of those spaces and turn them into goals.
Player and loyal to one club
Oyarzabal did not start his career as a direct striker, but for many years he played on the wings, especially on the left wing. But over time, coaches have discovered that a player’s best qualities emerge when he approaches the goal, and he gradually begins to transform into a spearhead position.
Former Spain defender Cesar Azpilicueta believes the transformation has given Spain a complete striker after years of doubt over the identity of the striker who could lead the forward line.
Today, Oyarzabal plays both traditional and modern striker roles as he constantly moves, presses defenders and is good at finishing with one touch.
At a time when huge transfers have become part of modern football, Oyarzabal represents a rare example of a player who has remained loyal to one club throughout his career. Since his professional debut, he has only worn the shirt of Real Sociedad and turned down more than one chance to leave, preferring to continue at the club that raised his name.
He scored his best goals in the Spanish league last season with 15 goals, a direct reflection of his level in the Spanish national team, who increasingly depended on him in the big games.
How did hockey help him “smell goals”?
Oyarzabal revealed that the secret to his goal feel comes from his childhood, when he played hockey before fully focusing on football. He explained that the sport has given him a special instinct in the penalty area, as well as a mentality of not giving up after squandering opportunities.
“I played hockey and scored a lot of goals. There was a voice in my head that always said that missing an opportunity is not game over because another opportunity will come. I felt like I could smell goals.”
He added that playing as a striker is different from other positions, because the main task is to read the movements of the ball before everyone else and to be in the right place in fractions of a second.
He stressed that a forward doesn’t always have to touch the ball a lot, but has to have enough intuition to know where the ball is going to go, something he believes he has developed from years of playing hockey.
Spain looks like a strong contender for the title
The Spaniards’ optimism is not limited to Oyarzabal’s brilliance, but extends to the team’s collective performance in the tournament.
After a modest start and a goalless draw against Cape Verde in the group stage, La Roja’s performance increased significantly, maintaining their unbeaten record for the thirty-fourth consecutive match, the second longest in the team’s history.
In just four games, Spain scored eight goals while keeping a clean sheet, proving that they have the attacking and defensive balance that makes them one of the most popular candidates to win the tournament.
Spain face a tough match against either Portugal or Croatia in the round of 16, a test that could reveal the true extent of the team’s ambitions.
Former England striker Dion Dublin believes that Spain has not yet presented its best levels, stressing that the team played with minimal effort against Austria, as it did not feel a real threat.
He added that the Spanish national team has a much higher level than it has shown so far, which can make it more dangerous when it meets first-class teams in the upcoming rounds.
While the spotlight continues to follow Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal continues to write his story away from the noise, stressing that the big tournaments are not organized by the stars who always grab the headlines, but by those who know exactly how to perform at a time when the nation needs them more than ever.
