Spain coach Luis de la Fuente praised goalscorer Mikel Oyarzabal after the Real Sociedad striker's man-of-the-match performance in the 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia allayed concerns sparked by the surprise goalless draw with minnows Cape Verde.
Oyarzabal made unwanted history in the European champions' opener in Group H, becoming the first player in World Cup history not to touch the ball in the first 30 minutes of a game.
While Spain are among the favourites for the tournament, the misfire against debutants Cape Verde underlined their lack of a superstar goalscorer to compete with the likes of Argentina's Lionel Messi or France's Kylian Mbappe.
But Oyarzabal, who scored the winner in the Euro 2024 final against England, has emerged as a reliable forward for the national team, with an impressive 21 goal involvements in 14 international matches since the start of 2025.
His first-half brace against Saudi Arabia took him to 27 goals in 55 games for Spain, while the 29-year-old also hit the bar with a speculative effort and supplied an assist for Lamine Yamal.
"I'm convinced he can make history in Spanish football," de la Fuente said in the post-match press conference. "His statistics are impressive."
Oyarzabal was withdrawn at half-time, with de la Fuente revealing that the Basque player had sustained a minor injury.
"We can’t reveal everything, but he’d had a few problems over the past few days. He told us he was fit. But we wanted to give him a rest."
Asked whether Oyarzabal is the most underrated player in world football, the coach replied that those who understand the game well are aware of the Sociedad forward's talents. "We value him very highly."
Receiving the man of the match award, Oyarzabal said he was "very happy of course" with his goals, adding that it was "important to turn the page" after the 0-0 draw with Cape Verde.
De la Fuente admitted that the "players' pride was hurt" after earning criticism for the unexpected result.
"It’s mad to question these players. We’ve been unbeaten for 33 matches. You have good days and bad days. But to doubt this generation is simply unfair."
Spain face Uruguay on Friday, with a draw likely enough to secure top spot in Group H.
