Oyarzabal stars as Spain routs Saudi Arabia 4-0 in World Cup win

Spain answered its opening stumble with a ruthless burst of speed, and Mikel Oyarzabal was at the center of it. His assist for Lamine Yamal opened the scoring, and his two close-range goals helped Spain cruise past Saudi Arabia 4-0 at Atlanta Stadium, a result that left La Roja atop Group H on a provisional basis.

The victory came three days after Spain’s goalless draw with Cabo Verde, a result that had added pressure to a team expected to move with more authority in the group stage. It also eased some of the attention on Yamal, who had been held out of the opener because of concerns over an hamstring injury before returning to start and score in his first World Cup appearance from the opening whistle.

Oyarzabal, wearing No. 21, made the difference almost immediately. He drove a tense pass to the far post that Yamal finished for 1-0, then struck twice himself in the 21st and 24th minutes from close range. By the time Spain reached the first hydration break, the match was already slipping away from Saudi Arabia, and Luis de la Fuente had little reason to keep pushing his key attackers.

De la Fuente removed both Oyarzabal and Yamal at halftime, a sign of how comfortably Spain had controlled the game before the break. The cushion only grew after the restart when Hassan Al-Tambakti put through his own net to make it 4-0, completing a performance that was efficient as well as convincing.

The result mattered beyond the scoreline. Spain did not need one headline name to carry the entire weight of the attack, and that is exactly the kind of balance De la Fuente has been searching for. Oyarzabal’s work gave Yamal room to settle back in, while the early lead allowed Spain to protect legs and widen its tactical options for the final group match.

The Real Federación Española de Fútbol highlighted Oyarzabal’s display in Atlanta and described him as a key piece of Spain’s first win of the 2026 World Cup. The federation’s own record also shows how established he already is in the squad: born in Eibar on April 21, 1997, he had 53 caps and 25 goals for the senior national team before this match. In a tournament where Spain needed a response, Oyarzabal delivered one that reached far beyond the final 4-0 line.