ShareThe stars are shining bright at the 2026 World Cup. Lionel Messi, Vinícius Júnior, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé are leading the way at the top of the scoring charts while the likes of Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo have all made the spotlight their own during the tournament. Mikel Oyarzabal won’t be mentioned in such esteem, but he should.By Graham RuthvenOyarzabal scored twice in Spain’s dominant 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia, and also registered an assist for good measure. The 29-year-old isn’t widely considered one of the best forwards in world football, but he could be the perfect focal point to lead Spain to another World Cup triumph this summer.The double-scoring performance against Saudi Arabia came on the back of a display against Cape Verde that saw Oyarzabal make history for the wrong reasons. The Real Sociedad player became the first player in any World Cup since 1966 not to touch the ball in the opening 30 minutes of a match, leading some to suggest he should be replaced in the lineup.As it turned out, this was a symptom of the issues Spain experienced against Cape Verde rather than a cause. With Lamine Yamal available again for the follow-up game against Saudi Arabia, there was more space for Oyarzabal to exploit in the final third and the goals flowed. Oyarzabel’s player traits compared against similar strikers in top five leagues“I’m convinced he can make history in Spanish football,” Spain manager Luis de la Fuente said when asked about the quality of Oyarzabal following the 4-0 dismantling of Saudi Arabia and whether his role in the team is undervalued. “His statistics are impressive. We value him very highly.”Even during times of dominance, Spain haven’t always had an elite-level centre forward. Álvaro Morata led the line for de la Fuente’s side at Euro 2024 and faced criticism for some of his wasteful performances. Spain didn’t even use an orthodox striker when they won Euro 2012, using Andres Iniesta and David Silva as a fluid front two instead.De la Fuente has some other centre forward options in his 2026 World Cup squad. Borja Iglesias is an orthodox attacking focal point who has yet to play a single minute at this summer’s tournament, but could be a ‘break glass in case of emergency’ option should Spain require a blunter penalty box threat at some point.Ferran Torres is another good option. While the Barcelona forward operated on the right wing in the goalless draw against Cape Verde, he played the majority of his minutes at club level this season through the middle, even dislodging Robert Lewandowski from Hansi Flick’s favoured lineup in the second half of the campaign.Oyarzabal, however, is the best fit for what Spain need. He is an extremely intelligent manipulator of space, often vacating the central area to create space for the wide players and runners from midfield to burst into. Oyarzabal’s presence helps to get the best out of Spain’s forward line as a whole.Spain player ratings vs. Saudi ArabiaAgainst Saudi Arabia, though, Oyarzabal also showed his own penalty box instincts, reacting quickest to two crosses to find the back of the net. After failing to make an impact in Spain’s opening World Cup fixture, he proved why he deserves to be their starting number nine for the rest of the tournament.The Real Sociedad forward might have scored more than two goals against Saudi Arabia had he played the full match. De la Fuente withdrew Oyarzabal at half time amid concerns over the 29-year-old’s fitness, raising concerns that he could miss Spain’s final group game against Uruguay on Friday.“I’m fine, though a bit sore,” said Oyarzabal when asked about his condition and general fitness levels, playing down fears that he could be sidelined for any period of time at the tournament. “But everyone has a niggle or two when they’re in a tournament like this. I’m calm, I’m fine.”Another performance like the one Oyarzabal turned in against Saudi Arabia could intensify the growing speculation about his club future. He has pledgled his alligence to Real Sociedad but Barcelona are reportedly interested in the 29-year-old as they search for a new forward following the departure of Lewandowski. Oyarzabal already has an understanding with several Barca players for Spain.This could be the biggest summer of Oyarzabal’s career. Until now, he has been under-appreciated as one of the most adaptable forwards in the game. He has flown under the radar as one of LaLiga’s most productive penalty box operators, scoring 33 league goals for La Real over the last three seasons.Oyarzabal’s club stats from the last three seasonsWorld Cup glory would surely change perceptions of Oyarzabal and could lead to the sort of big-money move that probably should have materialised years ago. Yamal, Pedri and Rodri might be seen as the superstars of this current Spain team, but this summer could elevate Oyarzabal to that level in the eyes of most.(Cover image from IMAGO)You can follow every game from the World Cup on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.The stars are shining bright at the 2026 World Cup. Lionel Messi, Vinícius Júnior, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé are leading the way at the top of the scoring charts while the likes of Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo have all made the spotlight their own during the tournament. Mikel Oyarzabal won’t be mentioned in such esteem, but he should.By Graham RuthvenOyarzabal scored twice in Spain’s dominant 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia, and also registered an assist for good measure. The 29-year-old isn’t widely considered one of the best forwards in world football, but he could be the perfect focal point to lead Spain to another World Cup triumph this summer.The double-scoring performance against Saudi Arabia came on the back of a display against Cape Verde that saw Oyarzabal make history for the wrong reasons. The Real Sociedad player became the first player in any World Cup since 1966 not to touch the ball in the opening 30 minutes of a match, leading some to suggest he should be replaced in the lineup.As it turned out, this was a symptom of the issues Spain experienced against Cape Verde rather than a cause. With Lamine Yamal available again for the follow-up game against Saudi Arabia, there was more space for Oyarzabal to exploit in the final third and the goals flowed. Oyarzabel’s player traits compared against similar strikers in top five leagues“I’m convinced he can make history in Spanish football,” Spain manager Luis de la Fuente said when asked about the quality of Oyarzabal following the 4-0 dismantling of Saudi Arabia and whether his role in the team is undervalued. “His statistics are impressive. We value him very highly.”Even during times of dominance, Spain haven’t always had an elite-level centre forward. Álvaro Morata led the line for de la Fuente’s side at Euro 2024 and faced criticism for some of his wasteful performances. Spain didn’t even use an orthodox striker when they won Euro 2012, using Andres Iniesta and David Silva as a fluid front two instead.De la Fuente has some other centre forward options in his 2026 World Cup squad. Borja Iglesias is an orthodox attacking focal point who has yet to play a single minute at this summer’s tournament, but could be a ‘break glass in case of emergency’ option should Spain require a blunter penalty box threat at some point.Ferran Torres is another good option. While the Barcelona forward operated on the right wing in the goalless draw against Cape Verde, he played the majority of his minutes at club level this season through the middle, even dislodging Robert Lewandowski from Hansi Flick’s favoured lineup in the second half of the campaign.Oyarzabal, however, is the best fit for what Spain need. He is an extremely intelligent manipulator of space, often vacating the central area to create space for the wide players and runners from midfield to burst into. Oyarzabal’s presence helps to get the best out of Spain’s forward line as a whole.Spain player ratings vs. Saudi ArabiaAgainst Saudi Arabia, though, Oyarzabal also showed his own penalty box instincts, reacting quickest to two crosses to find the back of the net. After failing to make an impact in Spain’s opening World Cup fixture, he proved why he deserves to be their starting number nine for the rest of the tournament.The Real Sociedad forward might have scored more than two goals against Saudi Arabia had he played the full match. De la Fuente withdrew Oyarzabal at half time amid concerns over the 29-year-old’s fitness, raising concerns that he could miss Spain’s final group game against Uruguay on Friday.“I’m fine, though a bit sore,” said Oyarzabal when asked about his condition and general fitness levels, playing down fears that he could be sidelined for any period of time at the tournament. “But everyone has a niggle or two when they’re in a tournament like this. I’m calm, I’m fine.”Another performance like the one Oyarzabal turned in against Saudi Arabia could intensify the growing speculation about his club future. He has pledgled his alligence to Real Sociedad but Barcelona are reportedly interested in the 29-year-old as they search for a new forward following the departure of Lewandowski. Oyarzabal already has an understanding with several Barca players for Spain.This could be the biggest summer of Oyarzabal’s career. Until now, he has been under-appreciated as one of the most adaptable forwards in the game. He has flown under the radar as one of LaLiga’s most productive penalty box operators, scoring 33 league goals for La Real over the last three seasons.Oyarzabal’s club stats from the last three seasonsWorld Cup glory would surely change perceptions of Oyarzabal and could lead to the sort of big-money move that probably should have materialised years ago. Yamal, Pedri and Rodri might be seen as the superstars of this current Spain team, but this summer could elevate Oyarzabal to that level in the eyes of most.(Cover image from IMAGO)You can follow every game from the World Cup on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.