Six finals, six goals: Oyarzabal eyes World Cup history as Spain prepare for Argentina final

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Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal will head into Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final against Argentina carrying one of football’s most remarkable records, having scored in every major final he has played as a professional.

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According to a FIFA report on Saturday, the 29-year-old has found the net in all six finals of his senior career and now has the opportunity to add another decisive goal when Spain face Argentina in New York New Jersey on Sunday.

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FIFA noted that Oyarzabal “has scored in the six finals he has played as a professional,” adding that he “is bidding to become the first Spain player to notch six goals at the same tournament.”

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The governing body also said: “No other Spain player has bagged two braces at a single World Cup.”

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Reflecting on his impact for Spain, FIFA stated: “When the stakes are at their highest, Spain know they can always turn to Mikel Oyarzabal. Few players in football history can boast a goalscoring record like his, which has been bolstered further at the FIFA World Cup 2026™️.”

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While Oyarzabal’s 30 international goals remain short of David Villa’s national record of 59, FIFA said he “has already broken the record for the most goals notched by a Spain forward over a single season with 14.”

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FIFA described the Real Sociedad striker’s consistency in decisive matches as the defining feature of his career, stating: “He has got on the scoresheet in every single final that he has played in as a professional.”

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It added: “Even the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Pele, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Johan Cruyff, Gerd Muller and Eusebio are unable to match that record. Oyarzabal is football’s ultimate big-game finisher.”

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The governing body also highlighted the forward’s composure from the penalty spot, noting that “some of those goals have come from the penalty spot,” while adding that “Oyarzabal embraces that responsibility calmly, backed by a flawless spot-kick record in finals.”

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According to FIFA, Oyarzabal has scored in two Copa del Rey finals with Real Sociedad, two UEFA Nations League finals, a UEFA EURO final and an Olympic final.

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His latest World Cup goal came in Spain’s semi-final victory over France.

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FIFA said: “The powerful strike against France on Tuesday was another illustration of his composure from 12 yards. Oyarzabal never hesitated, dispatching an accurate penalty beyond Mike Maignan, even though the goalkeeper guessed the right way.”

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Sunday’s final also presents another opportunity for Oyarzabal to rewrite Spain’s World Cup record books.

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According to FIFA, “he could become the first Spain player to score six goals at a single World Cup.”

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His goal against France drew him level with Emilio Butragueño and David Villa, who each scored five goals at the 1986 and 2010 FIFA World Cups respectively.

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FIFA concluded that while Oyarzabal may not command the same global profile as some of football’s biggest stars, “none of them can match Oyarzabal’s remarkable final record.”

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It added: “If you ask him, however, he would almost certainly choose getting his hands on the trophy over finding the net ever again in a final. Perhaps that is the secret of his success as he pursues something extraordinary with the quiet assurance of someone who has never needed to be the centre of attention.”

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Oyarzabal did not win all six finals, PUNCH Online reports.

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He finished with a 4–2 team record across those matches despite scoring in every single one. While his individual goal-scoring streak in finals is a perfect 100%, his teams suffered heartbreak in two of those matches.

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The Four Victories:

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2019/20 Copa del Rey: Scored the only goal (a penalty) to secure a 1–0 victory for Real Sociedad over rivals Athletic Club.

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EURO 2024: Slid in the dramatic 86th-minute winning goal for Spain in their 2–1 victory against England.

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2024/25 UEFA Nations League: Found the net to help Spain defeat Portugal and lift the trophy.

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2025/26 Copa del Rey: Scored a crucial penalty during normal time in a 2–2 draw, leading Real Sociedad to an eventual penalty shootout victory over Atlético Madrid.

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The Two Defeats:

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2020 Tokyo Olympics: Scored a brilliant volley to equalize for Spain U23 against Brazil, but Spain ultimately lost 2–1 in extra time to take home the silver medal.

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2020/21 UEFA Nations League: Opened the scoring for Spain with a powerful strike, but France fought back to win the match 2–1.

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