Hard-working striker Mikel Oyarzabal emerges as Spain’s unlikely hero in Euro 2024 final

BERLIN (AP) — While Spain’s exhilarating youngsters led the charge to a record fourth European Championship, it fell to a player who has lived through the hard side of soccer to clinch the title.

Mikel Oyarzabal went on as a second-half substitute and scored the championship-winning goal when he poked in an 86th-minute winner to beat England 2-1 on Sunday.

“I don’t know if it was karma, fate or who knows what, but something put me in that position to score that goal,” Oyazarbal said.

Oyarzabal, a 27-year-old player for Real Sociedad, has been a regular for Spain both under coach Luis de la Fuente and his predecessor, Luis Enrique. Not a flashy performer, Oyarzabal is valued for his speed in open space, his work ethic, and for being a cool-headed penalty taker.

But just when he seemed bound for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Oyarzabal, who is from the Spain’s northern Basque Country, was sidelined for several months with a left knee injury.

“After my injury, I am so fortunate to be able to feel this immense joy after having gone through what I went through, I am just incredibly happy and proud,” Oyarzabal said Sunday. “It fell to me to score the winner, but it could have been any of my teammates.

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“We have been here 45 days, giving it our all, and we feel like we are a family.”

Oyarzabal was one of five Sociedad players in a squad that had a great mix of clubs — and not dominated by Barcelona and Real Madrid — and featured two breakouts with teenager Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams. Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino went off the bench to score a last-gasp winner to topple Germany in the quarterfinals.

As he has throughout the tournament, De la Fuente sent on Oyarzabal to replace starter Álvaro Morata in the 68th minute. His mission was to help protect the lead Williams had given Spain, but after Cole Palmer equalized, he had to lead a renewed attack.

So when Oyarzabal saw Marc Cucurella making yet another run down the left flank, he played the ball wide to the Chelsea defender and then surged forward. Cucurella threaded a perfectly weighted ball forward for Oyarzabal to just stay onside before etching his name into Spanish soccer history.

“I did my job and was just lucky enough to score the goal for the victory,” Oyarzabal said. “At the end, after having gone through such a hard time, just being here among the 26 players on the squad is enough, but if you then get the chance enough to help out, well, you can’t beat that.”

That was goal No. 12 in 37 appearances for Spain since Oyarzabal’s debut in 2016 under Vicente del Bosque. It was his only goal at Euro 2024 after appearing in all seven games, which all ended in victory for Spain. And it will join his winning goal for Sociedad in the 2020 Copa del Rey final over fierce rival Athletic Bilbao as his career highlights.

De la Fuente praised Oyarzabal for his contributions. The coach and player go back a long way and were part of Spain’s under-19 and under-23 teams before both moved up to the senior squad.

“Mikel is always a sure bet. We have been together nine years now and Mikel never lets you down,” De la Fuente said. “He can play on either flank and as central striker, like he did today. Today he scored, but he always provides us something.”

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Wilson reported from Barcelona, Spain.

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AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024