Oyarzabal's Penalty Seals World Cup Final Berth for Spain Over France

Mikel Oyarzabal once again proved his crucial role for Spain, scoring a penalty in their decisive 2-0 victory over France that propelled La Roja into the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. This performance caps a remarkable tournament for the Real Sociedad forward, who has quietly established himself as one of Spain's most indispensable players.

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Mikel Oyarzabal once again proved his value for Spain after scoring in La Roja's 2-0 victory over France that secured a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, continuing a remarkable tournament that has quietly established him as one of Spain's most influential players.

Spain secured their spot in the final against either Argentina or England thanks to Oyarzabal's first-half penalty and Pedro Porro's second-half goal. Sky Sports noted Spain's dominance throughout the semifinal, where France struggled to assert themselves despite being pre-tournament favorites. Oyarzabal's penalty came after a foul on winger Lamine Yamal, and Porro sealed the win with a well-executed attacking move involving Dani Olmo.

France, captained by Kylian Mbappé, failed to register a shot on target until late in the match, with their attacking stars like Ousmane Dembélé largely neutralized by Spain's disciplined defense. This loss marks a disappointing end to Didier Deschamps' tenure as head coach, while Spain advances to their second World Cup final, having previously won in 2010.

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Spain dominated the semifinal from start to finish as France struggled to impose themselves despite entering the match as one of the tournament favorites.

Oyarzabal's consistent scoring throughout the World Cup has been a standout feature of his campaign. Yahoo Sports highlighted that the 29-year-old has netted five goals, becoming one of Spain's most reliable match-winners, despite receiving less attention than teammates like Yamal or players from top European clubs. His knack for delivering in major tournaments is well-documented, having been a key player in Spain's Euro 2024 triumph and now guiding them to the World Cup final with crucial goals.

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The 29-year-old striker has now scored five goals during the 2026 World Cup and has become one of Spain's most reliable match-winners despite receiving far less international attention than teammates such as Lamine Yamal and players from Europe's biggest clubs.

His penalty against France also carried historical weight, moving him past former captain Fernando Hierro to sixth place on Spain's all-time scoring list with 30 international goals. Oyarzabal's World Cup journey included braces against Saudi Arabia and Austria, positioning him among the tournament's leading scorers. Despite playing for Real Sociedad his entire career, he has become an indispensable international asset since his senior debut in 2019.

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The goal moved him past former Spain captain Fernando Hierro into sixth place on Spain's all-time scoring list with 30 international goals.