Spain striker Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice in his side's commanding 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia on Sunday at the FIFA World Cup, thrusting the 29-year-old Real Sociedad forward into contention for the tournament's Golden Boot. Despite the milestone, Oyarzabal insisted he is unfazed by the relative lack of global recognition he receives compared to some of the sport's biggest names.

Oyarzabal on Flying Under the Radar

With 27 goals in 55 appearances for Spain, Oyarzabal's record is formidable — yet he remains far less prominent on the world stage than rivals such as Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane. Speaking to reporters at Spain's training camp, the striker was characteristically unbothered when asked about this.

'I don't care and it doesn't worry me. I'm not going to waste time focusing on these things,' he said. He added that external opinions carry little weight for him: 'I care about what my teammates, the coach, and the staff say. It's normal for people to talk, but I don't give it any importance.'

The Yamal Factor: Chaos That Creates Goals

Oyarzabal was far more animated when discussing Lamine Yamal, who returned to Spain's starting lineup on Sunday and opened the scoring in an all-action first half. The striker credited Yamal's disruptive brilliance as a key enabler for the team's attacking output.

'We're talking about one of the best players in the world and one of those who has the biggest impact on games. We really benefit from what he creates and the chaos he can generate for the opposition,' Oyarzabal said. This comes amid growing recognition of Yamal as one of the tournament's standout performers, with Spain building much of their attacking play around the teenager's unpredictability.

Team First, Individual Goals Second

Despite entering the Golden Boot race, Oyarzabal was quick to downplay personal ambitions. 'I'm lucky to have teammates who I know will score if I don't get the chance. I'm not too worried about it. I'm not so concerned about individual performance; I'm focused on the team,' he said.

He also acknowledged managing some physical discomfort, though he was dismissive of any suggestion he might need to rest. 'Everyone has something they need to take extra care of,' he noted, adding that he intends to play and accumulate as many minutes as possible when Spain face their final group-stage fixture on Friday in Guadalajara. 'I feel good,' he insisted.

No Plans to Leave Real Sociedad

Strong World Cup form often triggers transfer speculation, but Oyarzabal firmly shut down any talk of a departure from Real Sociedad. 'I've said it a thousand times: I'm where I want to be, at what I consider my home, the place that gave me the opportunity to be here today,' he concluded. The statement will come as a firm signal to clubs reportedly monitoring his performances at the tournament.