Scaloni's biggest headache: How to stop Spain's Mr. Finals?
Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 17.07.26. | 17:18
Mikel Oyarzabal has played in six club and international finals and scored in every single one of them - something for Argentina to think about ahead of Sunday's World Cup showpiece
Argentina have Lionel Messi, but Spain have Mikel Oyarzabal!
True, it sounds a bit off and awkward. After all, Leo is one of the GOATs of football, and the two are incomparable. However, everyone should keep one thing in mind: in finals, La Roja's striker turns into a goal machine.
He's so far played in six of them - either in his club or international career - and has found the net in each!
Mikel Oyarzabal has played six finals in his senior career…
— FCB Newmann (@Mhoni_Hiyst) April 18, 2026
And he’s scored in every single one of them:
• 2019/20 Copa del Rey — ⚽
• Tokyo 2020 Olympics — ⚽
• 2021 Nations League — ⚽
• Euro 2024 — ⚽
• 2025 Nations League — ⚽
• 2025/26 Copa del Rey — ⚽
Six finals.… pic.twitter.com/trmIsyOXLM
In April 2021, he scored a winner from the spot for Real Sociedad against Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final. Just four months later, he netted against Brazil in the Olympic Games Gold Medal match, which Spain lost 2-1 after extra time.
In October that same year, he broke the deadlock in the UEFA Nations League final against France, but La Roja squandered the lead and ended up losing 2-1.
His next final came three years later, and it couldn't have been more memorable, as it brought his most precious goal - the one that won Spain the European Championship. Despite starting the game on the bench, Oyarzabal turned out to be Luis de la Fuente's super sub, slotting home the winner against England in the 86th minute, 18 minutes after coming off the bench.
The UEFA Nations League showpiece saw the striker again last year, but his team again fell short - this time against Portugal after the penalty shootout.
Nevertheless, fortune smiled at the 29-year-old last April, when penalties handed Real Sociedad another Copa del Rey trophy, with him converting confidently from the spot in the dying minutes of the first half.
At the 2026 World Cup, Oyarzabal started every match for Spain and scored five goals. Lionel Scaloni will have to come up with a special tactic to stop him. Otherwise, Argentina could find out the hard way why he's called "Mr. Finals".
WORLD CUP - KNOCKOUT STAGE
Sunday
Third-place match
00.00: (2.00) France (3.75) England (3.60)
Final
22.00: (2.35) Spain (3.00) Argentina (3.60)
***odds are subject to change***