The man who scored Spain’s winning goal at the last EURO sat down with FIFA
Mikel Oyarzabal has become one of Luis de la Fuente’s first-choice forwards
The frontman has netted no fewer than 11 goals for his country over the last 18 months
Spain will head to the with a squad that combines star power and unsung performers. What all of those players have in common is reliability – they can always be counted upon to deliver. Mikel Oyarzabal , but he knows how to make his mark on the pitch.
Nothing illustrated this better than the goal he scored to clinch the title for La Roja at the last UEFA EURO, and he has continued to produce the goods ever since. The Real Sociedad captain is one of the leading voices in the national team and spoke to FIFA before the action gets underway at the global showpiece.
Mikel Oyarzabal: I'm in a good place. When you start getting regular playing time, your confidence grows; you notice that you’re gelling better with your team-mates, and that pretty much sums up how I’m feeling at the moment.
I’m feeling good and counting my blessings. Last time, fitness issues kept me out, so being here now and sharing this experience with the squad every day means a great deal to me.
Once you get going, the nerves start to disappear. They’re much more noticeable when you’re warming up on the sidelines. When I came on, I did my best to deliver what was asked of me. I have such fond memories of that day. It was about more than just winning. All my family and friends were there, and I’ll always remember the time we spent together over those 45 days and the atmosphere around the team. That paved the way for our future success.
We need to take it one step at a time. Even though this format is a little more forgiving than others, a single slip-up can land you in hot water. We need to get through this first stage, and then there will be time to think about what comes next if everything goes to plan.
We’re feeling confident and raring to go. We don’t think we’re better than anyone else. We have our feet firmly on the ground, but we believe in ourselves. That’s something the boss always stresses, and I think it was pivotal to how well things went for us at the EURO two years ago. We need to back ourselves, trust those around us, and remember that starters and substitutes alike will give everything for the team. I think that was the key last time around, and it could well be again.
We first worked together at a tournament in Japan. We've known each other for many years and we’ve shared countless experiences and moments along the way. That naturally makes a difference in our day-to-day interactions and in the relationship we have with Luis.
When you’re first called up at a young age, having someone like Luis around is really important. It’s essential to have someone there who’s approachable and inspires confidence. Any success he enjoys will make us happy as well, so I’m delighted to have been able to spend all this time with him. We also have a great relationship outside of football. Here’s hoping it lasts for many more years and there are plenty more good times to come.
Depending on the opposition, he might ask me to do different things from one match to the next. He has the ability to get his message across very clearly, which is something that makes a huge difference to the players. I try to repay the confidence he shows in me, both in everyday life and on matchdays, when he really helps to put my mind at ease.
Just being involved is an incredible achievement in itself. After what I went through [in 2022], it’s fantastic that, all being well, I’ll be competing at my first World Cup. But the team’s success is more important than individual performances. I’d choose that a thousand times over.
I was born in 1997 so I have some vague memories of the tournament in 2006. You catch some of it, but you don’t remember it very well. The next one, in 2010, was special for obvious reasons so it left a lasting impression on me. I was older by then and had already started playing football more regularly, so those memories are much stronger.
Sources: FIFA Official
