Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal is on the verge of making history as he prepares to face Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday.
The 29-year-old heads into the championship match with an extraordinary record, having scored in every major final he has played at senior level. His latest goal came in Spain’s semi-final victory over France, extending his remarkable streak in decisive matches.
Oyarzabal has already scored five goals at the tournament, matching the World Cup tallies achieved by Spanish greats David Villa at the 2010 edition and Emilio Butragueño in 1986. Another goal against Argentina would see him become the first Spain player to score six goals at a single FIFA World Cup.
His reputation as a big-game player has grown over the years, with goals in Copa del Rey, UEFA Nations League, UEFA European Championship and Olympic finals. Although he has scored in all six senior finals he has featured in, his teams have won four of those matches and lost two.
At club level, Oyarzabal helped Real Sociedad win the Copa del Rey with decisive goals in two different finals. On the international stage, he netted the winning goal in Spain’s UEFA Euro 2024 triumph over England and also found the net during Spain’s successful UEFA Nations League campaign.
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Despite his impressive scoring exploits, Oyarzabal remains behind Spain’s all-time leading scorer David Villa in overall international goals. However, he has enjoyed his most prolific season in national team colours, underlining his importance to Spain’s attack.
Sunday’s final offers the Real Sociedad captain the chance to crown his outstanding tournament with another historic performance as Spain seek to deny Lionel Messi’s Argentina the World Cup title and lift football’s biggest trophy.
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