Mikel Oyarzabal's World Cup goals have dragged the quiet, unassuming forward into the centre of the conversation, a place he has always avoided. The 29-year-old Real Sociedad captain scored twice against Austria in Los Angeles, bringing his tournament tally to four, and his mother Dorleta inadvertently became part of the celebration when she partially obscured Lamine Yamal's celebrating little brother Keyne in a viral photo.
A Mother's Moment in the Spotlight
After Spain's third goal against Austria, cameras caught Keyne Yamal, fists clenched and shouting, while on the row below, a woman in sunglasses half-hid the three-year-old. A Spanish TV commentator lamented the obstruction, but striker Borja Iglesias responded: 'The blonde in front has given you two goals today, my friend.' The woman was Oyarzabal's mother, and her son had just scored his second of the game and fourth of the tournament.
Two days later, when asked about the footage, Oyarzabal acknowledged Keyne's iconic status but downplayed his own role. 'The unlike me went without saying,' he implied. With Oyarzabal, most things do. He's not an icon and doesn't really want to be. People tend not to talk about him, which is the way he likes it.
De la Fuente's Campaign for Recognition
However, goals change the conversation, and Oyarzabal has been scoring plenty. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has been actively championing his striker, seizing every opportunity to highlight his contributions. At a press conference before facing Uruguay, de la Fuente began his answer with 'thank you' when Oyarzabal's name was mentioned, grateful that some small justice was being done.
'You mentioned Mikel Oyarzabal: at last, at last, we're starting to recognise him in Spain. Madre mia! At last,' de la Fuente said, calling him 'a great among greats.' Indeed, the World Cup top scorers table lists Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Ousmane Dembélé, and Oyarzabal—five superstars and him.
An Underrated Talent
The 'player is underrated' trope can be overplayed, but with Oyarzabal, there is substance. At 29, he has rarely been talked about outside San Sebastián, where he captains Real Sociedad. He has won two Copa del Rey titles with la Real—50% of all the cups they have won—and scored in both finals. Yet, with no transfer rumours and no agent, he has never fed the hype machine.
His buyout clause is only €75m, but inferior players have gone for far more. Oyarzabal, who is happy at home, has never sold himself. After the Austria game, when asked about being alongside Mbappé and Messi, he said, 'I don't care,' and meant it. Asked about an AI query that listed Mbappé, Kane, and Haaland as the best strikers but not him, he replied, 'Well, they are the best.'
A Unique Playing Style
Oyarzabal says one of his duties as a striker is not to get in the way—not false modesty but actual analysis. He is not big, not fast, doesn't dribble past anyone or score from 40 yards. Instead, his game relies on timing, interpretation, and playing for others. 'Since I was little I've tried to understand play and why things happen,' he says. 'By not getting in the way you can help. There are moments in which, just by positioning, you can help the team without even touching the ball.'
De la Fuente describes him as 'a very intelligent person' and 'one of the best strikers going into space, between lines, dropping to the wing.' He has played right wing, left wing, second striker, and centre-forward, always performing well. 'Very few footballers have his ability to interpret the game,' de la Fuente adds. 'People who understand football value him extremely highly. Unfortunately, there are others who don't see it, but the weight he has in the Selección is brutal.'
Numbers Speak Volumes
The numbers now ensure recognition. Since the Euro 2024 final, where Oyarzabal scored the winner, he has been involved directly in more international goals than Mbappé, Messi, Ronaldo, or Kane—only Haaland is ahead. In his past 18 games for Spain, he has scored 17 goals and provided eight assists. Four of those goals have come in the US this summer on the biggest stage of all.
De la Fuente has always believed in him, making him one of the captains based on longevity. Fabián Ruiz notes, 'Mikel seems shy, but he is someone you listen to, because he always has the right opinion.' A knee injury that forced him to miss the previous World Cup led to an evolution, moving from the wing to become a centre-forward who isn't exactly a No 9 and is better for it. 'People said there was no centre-forward; there was, if a different profile,' de la Fuente said.
Last season was Oyarzabal's best goalscoring season for Real Sociedad, with 15 in the league. He has scored in every final he has played, including the Euro 2024 winner. Now, as first choice through the middle after Álvaro Morata's departure, he is finally getting the recognition he deserves. 'I celebrate the fact that we're talking about him, truly I do, so thank you,' de la Fuente said.
