Is Mikel Oyarzabal ready to be Spain’s hero once again?

After 102 matches, 48 teams and some unforgettable moments in North America, the 2026 World Cup will come to a climax tonight when reigning champions Argentina take on Spain. 

It's a game that pits two contrasting styles against each other, where small margins could make all the difference as the Argentines' dogged and relentless energy comes against the control of the European champions. 

On each side, there are big names ready to make an impact and etch their name into World Cup folklore. And, while all the focus will be on Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, for Spain their match-winner could come in the very different shape of a man who always delivers on the big stage. 

For all the lauded names in the Spanish squad, it's Mikel Oyarzabal who could once again be the difference maker. 
 

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Under the radar 

When talking about the great strikers in world football, Oyarzabal's name is one that is often overlooked. 

Going into the World Cup, he was seen as an outsider for the Golden Boot, despite scoring 18 times for Real Sociedad last season and an impressive run for his international team having scored 11 goals in his last 10 appearances. 

On the quiet, the 29-year-old has become the striker that many believed Spain 'didn't have', with an uncanny knack of scoring in big games, too. 

England fans will remember it was Oyarzabal who scored the winner to break their hearts in the Euro 2024 final, and that's exactly what the forward does. 

In the six finals he's played in during his career, he has scored in every one of them. Proof that in the big moment, Oyarzabal steps up like few others in the same position. 

Alex Pantling - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

"He is one of the best strikers right now in Spain," former Spain forward David Villa said on the Football Daily podcast following his brace against Austria earlier in the tournament. 

"For Spain, the people know that he's one of the best of the best. The problem is he plays for Real Sociedad. He doesn't play the Champions League.

"Champions League outside of Spain has a lot of impact, and if you didn't see him, it's normal that out of Spain, if you don't see the national team, he's not a player that people love him.

"He combines very well playing the middle of the centre-backs. He's a shark, you know?"

World Cup hero

The World Cup has been another chance for the player to prove himself on the grandest stage. 

Four years ago, he missed out on the 2022 tournament with a cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee, but has more than made up for it in North America. 

His five goals have put him among the elite names in the competition and he's now the focal point of the Spanish attack. 

The tally means he's not hit 30 goals for his country, putting him sixth on the all-time list, and means that since the start of last year, the only European player with more international goals than Oyarzabal is Norway striker Erling Haaland with 22.

RFEF

However, Oyarzabal's profile isn't that of a typical striker nor a false nine. A selfless player, he has quick feet and impressive control, meaning he often creates space for others but also combines that with clever movement to see him in the positions you'd expect from a 'proper' striker. 

For too long his goals and reputation have been overlooked by those outside the Spanish national team, but the World Cup feels like it's been his time to prove a point. 

It's a point that could see him become a World Cup winner as well as the European champion he made happen four years ago.

And who knows, his excellent exploits could land the one-club man a move to a grander stage, where his name would finally be put alongside the striking elite. 

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