How Mikel Oyarzabal’s quiet rise complements Lamine Yamal’s brilliance for Spain

Quiet achiever

Oyarzabal, the silent guardian of ‘La Roja’, would likely want to do without that kind of pressure. It’s away from the chaos that comes with fame where he thrives the most. A loyal soldier, he would much rather have the limelight fall on his teammates than himself. So even after scoring a brace vs Saudi Arabia, he was happy to talk more about Yamal than himself. “He’s one of the players who makes the biggest ‌difference in the world right now. The chaos he creates for the opposition works in our favour,” he had said.

The player who often switches between the false nine and an out-and-out centre-forward in this side has long been considered an outlier in the current golden generation. He does not have Yamal’s flair, Pedri’s ball control or Cucurella’s audacity. But he does not need to. With Spain playing without a recognised striker, Oyarzabal’s role is much more fluid, allowing him to score goals and chip in with assists.

Mikel Oyarzabal (L) celebrates scoring his side’s 3rd goal with his teammate Gavi. (AP)

That underrated intelligence came to the fore against Austria. For the first goal, where he was found expertly by Cucurella, it might have looked like Oyarzabal was just in the right place at the right time. But to be there at that precise moment and wait for the ball instead of being too eager and rushing forward, Oyarzabal expertly played with the Austria offside trap, and before a diving David Alaba could block it, the ball had already nestled into the net after a side-footed finish. There was no rush, just a calm before the inevitable storm hit again.

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The second goal was a display of classic counter-attacking brilliance as Oyarzabal accelerated from the centre line when Cucurella received the ball on the left flank. The soon-to-be Real Madrid man would then glide the ball across two Austrian defenders to find Oyarzabal, who let the ball roll across his body before finishing it with pinpoint accuracy. The move was reminiscent of a video game; it looked so easy.

After the match, the man was glowing in quiet confidence. “I don’t know who I’d prefer to play; I haven’t planned for each team. Bring them on,” he said when asked about his last 16 opponents who were not decided at the time.

Sharp brain

Oyarzabal has spent 11 years at Real Sociedad, the only club he has played for in his career. Last season, he scored 15 goals, his best with the club. He was also one of the players who found the net in the Euro 2024 final against England, which Spain won 2-1. With the brace vs Austria, he has scored 17 goals in his last 16 starts for the national team. Yet the spotlight has fallen on others.

But Spanish head coach Luis de la Fuente knows he has a gem in his hands. “He’s a great among greats. Finally, we’re starting to recognise him in Spain, my goodness. Oyarzabal is a very intelligent person. You see that in his play, with his intelligence, and his interpretation of the game. He’s one of the best players between the lines. Few players understand football like him. And at goalscoring, he’s extraordinary,” de la Fuente had said after Oyarzabal’s double vs Saudi Arabia.

With Portugal awaiting later next week, Oyarzabal will now come up against the behemoth Cristiano Ronaldo and his army. But if his World Cup so far is any indication, he is unlikely to be fazed.