Mikel Oyarzabal Shines in Spain's Victory at FIFA World Cup 2026
Spain's Historic Win Against Saudi Arabia
In a remarkable performance during the 2026 FIFA World Cup match held on June 21 at the Mercedes Benz Arena in Atalanta, Spain's striker Mikel Oyarzabal made headlines as he led his team to a decisive victory over Saudi Arabia. After a disappointing 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, the European champions secured their first win of the tournament, solidifying their position as favorites. Oyarzabal was instrumental, contributing significantly with an assist and scoring two goals before being substituted at halftime with Spain ahead 3-0. He assisted Lamine Yamal's opening goal in the 10th minute and then netted goals in the 21st and 24th minutes.
Mikel Oyarzabal's Record-Breaking Performance
Oyarzabal's achievement is historic; he became only the second player in FIFA World Cup history, according to OPTA since 1966, to achieve three goal contributions within the first 25 minutes of a match. Notably, he is the first player of the 21st century to reach this milestone. The only previous occurrence was 44 years ago during the 1982 World Cup hosted by Spain.
3 Goal Contributions In First 25 Minutes Of FIFA World Cup (As per OPTA)| Player | Contribution In First 25 Minutes | Country | Opponent | Venue | Year |
| László Fazekas | 1 goal, 2 assists | Hungary | El Salvador | Elche | 1982 |
| Mikel Oyarzabal | 2 goals, 1 assist | Spain | Saudi Arabia | Atalanta | 2026 |
This remarkable feat marks only the third time since 1966 that a player has contributed three goals within the first 30 minutes of a FIFA World Cup match. Oyarzabal's performance is a stark contrast to his previous game against Cape Verde, where he had no touches in the first 30 minutes, making him the first player in World Cup history to achieve such a statistic.