Oyarzabal, the champion's finisher: five goals and the semi-final penalty
Mikel Oyarzabal was one of Spain's key names on the way to the title. With five goals in the tournament and the penalty that opened the semi-final against France, the Real Sociedad forward confirmed his status as a reliable finisher in decisive moments.
He had already scored the title-winning goal at Euro 2024, and at the 2026 World Cup Mikel Oyarzabal proved again that he is a player for the big occasions. The Real Sociedad forward ended the tournament with five goals, among the champions' top scorers, and with several key contributions on Spain's road to a second star.
His most memorable moment came in the semi-final against France. In the 22nd minute, Oyarzabal calmly converted a penalty to put Spain ahead, a goal that set up the eventual 2-0 (Pedro Porro sealed it in the second half, assisted by Dani Olmo) and took La Roja to the final.
Oyarzabal embodies a valuable profile: the forward who is not always an automatic starter but who, once inside the box, radiates certainty. In a tournament of young, talented players, his experience and composure were an insurance policy for De la Fuente.
Spain won the World Cup with Ferran's goal in the final, but the road there was paved by names like Oyarzabal's, decisive when the tournament entered its most demanding phase. See his goals and the World Cup's penalties on our site.