'Invisible man' to Spain's 'most decisive player' - Oyarzabal the hero again

Mikel Oyarzabal has transformed from an often-overlooked figure into Spain's "most decisive player" during the current World Cup, showcasing a remarkable return to form. After a decade-long international career that began at 19, Oyarzabal has found himself at the focal point of Spain's attack, a stark contrast to his previous role.

“

His last two seasons, since he recovered, are the best of his career. Four goals in the World Cup - our most decisive player, no doubt.

His current success comes after a significant setback: a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee that sidelined him for the 2022 World Cup. Now, four years later, he is in the best form of his career, having scored 12 goals in his last 12 international appearances before the tournament and adding four goals in the current competition. His double against Austria extended this impressive run to 17 goals in his last 16 starts.

Oyarzabal's ability to consistently find the net has alleviated concerns about Spain's lack of a traditional striker, a situation reminiscent of their Euro 2012 campaign. Former Spain defender Cesar Azpilicueta noted Oyarzabal's transition from playing on the right wing to a more central role, where he is now effectively performing the striker's duties.

“

Sometimes people are in doubt about Spain because of the centre-forward, but Oyarzabal is doing the job.

His scoring prowess is further amplified by the emergence of 18-year-old Lamine Yamal. Yamal's exceptional ball control and dribbling skills draw significant defensive attention, creating valuable space for Oyarzabal to operate and score. "When you have someone in your team like Lamine Yamal who attracts so much attention, you know you will get more space," commented former Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger. "Oyarzabal uses that space, gets the ball, and scores goals."

“

When you have someone in your team like Lamine Yamal who attracts so much attention, you know you will get more space. Oyarzabal uses that space, gets the ball, and scores goals.

An anomaly in modern football, Oyarzabal has spent his entire club career with Real Sociedad, where he also enjoyed his best scoring season last term with 15 league goals. He attributes his innate goal-scoring hunger to his early experiences playing hockey, where he learned to constantly seek opportunities to score.

“

I used to play hockey and I scored many goals. I always had this voice in my head, 'It doesn't matter if you missed one - there will be more'. I could smell goals, and that voice was always in my head.