Who is Mikel Oyarzabal? Meet Spain's under-hyped World Cup hero who took penalty kick instead of Lamine Yamal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
World Cup fans have grown used to seeing Mikel Oyarzabal celebrate a goal for Spain. The forward has done so five times during the 2026 World Cup, and he has been an integral piece of La Roja's success.
The longtime Real Sociedad player has not played a plethora of high-stakes European soccer compared to his peers who play for Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Manchester City, but he has consistently risen to high levels for his country. However, Oyarzabal receives minimal props due to many players on his national team playing for bigger clubs that garner more global attention.
Despite this, Oyarzabal has just put his head down and continued his success for La Roja. Along with playing for Spain during their 2024 Euro-winning campaign, he's also led the country to only their second appearance in a World Cup final and first since they emerged victorious in 2010.
Here's the rundown on Oyarzabal, including his play on the international and club levels.