When Spain scored their third goal against Austria, television cameras did not focus on the scorer, Mikel Oyarzabal. Instead, the lens captured Keyne, Lamine Yamal's three-year-old brother, jumping with excitement in the stands.

What caught many people's attention was not only the boy's charm but also a blonde woman sitting in the row in front, unintentionally obscuring half the frame.

A Spanish television commentator remarked that the blonde woman in front had created a humorous picture. However, striker Borja Iglesias immediately corrected him: "That blonde woman brought us two goals today."

The woman was Dorleta, Mikel Oyarzabal's mother, whose son scored a brace for the Spanish national team.

Keyne, Yamal's three-year-old brother, jumping with joy as Spain scores. Photo: X

Two days later, at a training session in Dallas, when asked about the video, Oyarzabal said, "Keyne is almost an icon now, given what's happened in recent years and Lamine's influence."

Oyarzabal stated he does not want to be an icon. However, his 4 goals in the tournament have brought more attention to the 29-year-old striker. Before the match against Uruguay, when a reporter questioned him about his player, coach Luis de la Fuente remarked, "Thank you for finally mentioning Mikel Oyarzabal. He is finally getting the recognition he deserves in Spain."

According to de la Fuente, Oyarzabal is "a great among great players."

Among the current top World Cup goal scorers are Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, and Ousmane Dembele. Oyarzabal is the least flashy name on this list.

Oyarzabal celebrating his goal to make it 3-0 in Spain's match against Austria. Photo: LaPresse

At 29 years old, Oyarzabal has won two Copa del Rey championships with his club Real Sociedad (Spain), scoring in both finals. His loyalty to a club outside La Liga's powerhouses means he receives less media attention than players from Real Madrid or Barcelona.

For many years, Oyarzabal has rarely appeared in transfer rumors, despite a moderate release clause of 75 million euros. He does not have an agent and has never actively initiated transfer negotiations. The striker holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Deusto. This academic background contributes to his pragmatic mindset and self-managed career. Oyarzabal chooses to stay in San Sebastian, where he developed through the Real Sociedad academy.

This discretion reflects Oyarzabal's personality. After the win against Austria, when asked how it felt to play alongside Mbappe or Messi, he replied, "I don't care." When asked about an AI tool that listed the world's best strikers without including his name, Oyarzabal calmly responded, "They are the best."

Oyarzabal believes a striker's role is not just to score but also to avoid hindering teammates. "Since I was young, I've tried to understand the game. Sometimes, just being in the right position, without even touching the ball, you can help the team," he explained.

This style means Oyarzabal has fewer individual explosive moments. He does not possess superior speed, rarely dribbles past multiple opponents, or takes long-range shots.

According to coach de la Fuente, few strikers currently exploit space as effectively as Oyarzabal. "He can play effectively on the right wing, left wing, as an attacking midfielder, or as a central striker. Mikel understands the game in a unique way. Those who truly understand football highly value him," de la Fuente stated.

Upon taking over the Spanish national team, coach de la Fuente chose Oyarzabal as captain, not based on seniority. Midfielder Fabian Ruiz noted, "Mikel speaks little, but whenever he does, everyone listens because what he says is right."

The biggest change in Oyarzabal's career was his shift to playing as a central striker instead of a winger, as he did at Real Sociedad. De la Fuente first experimented with this position during their U21 days and continued it with the national team.

When he came on in the Euro 2024 final, Oyarzabal scored the decisive goal that secured the championship for Spain. That was also a turning point, helping him gradually replace Alvaro Morata as the main striker.

Last season was Oyarzabal's best scoring season for Real Sociedad, with 15 goals in La Liga.

Since his goal against England in the Euro final, he has been directly involved in more national team goals than Mbappe for France, Messi for Argentina, Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal, or Kane for England. Only Erling Haaland has a better record.

In his last 18 national team appearances, Oyarzabal has scored 17 goals and provided 8 assists. Four of those came during this summer's World Cup.

Nhat Minh (According to Guardian)