- Oyarzabal has scored in every senior final of his career
- He could become Spain’s first player to score six goals at one World Cup
- Spain face Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup final
Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal will enter Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final against Argentina with an extraordinary record, having scored in every major final he has played at senior level.
According to FIFA, Eko Hot Blog reports that the 29-year-old has found the net in all six professional finals of his career and now has the chance to extend that remarkable streak when Spain face Argentina in New York/New Jersey.
EDITOR’S PICK
- 175th Kayokayo Festival Grand Finale: Epe Celebrates 175 Years of Faith, Heritage, Unity and Prosperity
- Wale Raji Reaffirms Commitment at KayoKayo Finale
- India: Massive Garbage Heap Collapse Kills Nine Workers at Waste-to-Energy Plant.
The football governing body also noted that Oyarzabal is on the verge of making more history, as he could become the first Spanish player to score six goals at a single FIFA World Cup. FIFA added that no Spain player has ever recorded two braces in one World Cup tournament.
Reflecting on his importance to the national team, FIFA described Oyarzabal as a player who consistently rises to the occasion when the stakes are highest.
Although his tally of 30 international goals remains behind David Villa’s all-time Spain record of 59, FIFA pointed out that the Real Sociedad striker has already set a new national mark by scoring 14 goals in a single season for Spain.
FIFA also highlighted his unmatched record in finals, noting that he has scored in every senior final he has featured in—a feat unmatched by football legends including Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Pelé, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Johan Cruyff, Gerd Müller and Eusébio.
Some of those goals have come from the penalty spot, with FIFA praising Oyarzabal’s calmness under pressure and flawless record from penalties in finals.
His scoring record includes goals in two Copa del Rey finals with Real Sociedad, two UEFA Nations League finals, the UEFA Euro final and the Olympic final.
Most recently, he scored during Spain’s World Cup semi-final victory over France, confidently converting a penalty past goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
If he scores again in Sunday’s final, Oyarzabal will move ahead of Spanish greats Emilio Butragueño and David Villa, who each scored five goals at a single World Cup in 1986 and 2010 respectively.
FIFA concluded that while Oyarzabal may not attract the same global attention as some of football’s biggest stars, his ability to deliver in decisive matches places him in a class of his own.
Despite scoring in all six finals, Oyarzabal has not ended each one as a winner. His teams have lifted the trophy four times while suffering defeat in two finals.
His victories came in the 2019/20 Copa del Rey, UEFA Euro 2024, the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League and the 2025/26 Copa del Rey. His two defeats were in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic final against Brazil and the 2020/21 UEFA Nations League final against France, where he also found the net.
FURTHER READING
