Oyarzabal: I don’t feel I had to prove myself today; my teammates and coach have always supported me

After Spain's 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia, Oyarzabal spoke to reporters in the mixed zone after the match.

From the team’s perspective, the public found it very exciting. I assume your feelings on the field were similar?

Yes, we're very happy to have turned things around and rediscovered our rhythm on the pitch. Everyone is pleased with the win and with our performance today. Now we need to focus on what lies ahead.

You scored two goals, provided an assist, and hit the crossbar once. Almost everything went your way in today's match. You must have been hoping for a performance like this at the World Cup, right?

I'm very happy to have been able to help the team in this way today. In the last game, I didn't have many touches and wasn't as involved—my presence on the field wasn't as strong—but I felt I was still contributing in other ways. Today, I was able to help more directly, so I'm very pleased. What matters most is that the team plays well.

From your answer, it is clear that you are a humble person who does not seek attention. But on a stage like this, do you also want to prove yourself? For instance, to confirm what many Spanish fans already believe: that you are one of the world's best forwards?

I don't feel this is about proving myself. I've always believed that I'm recognized, and I feel affirmation from the people who truly matter—my teammates, coaches, and those we work with every day. Those are the things I should care about, and always have. As for outside opinion, there will always be all sorts of discussion; that's football. But internally, we've always remained calm.

How are you feeling physically now? You were substituted at halftime, and in the final moments of the first half, you seemed to be experiencing some discomfort.

No problem, everything is fine. That is normal—the coach wanted to give more players playing time. Everyone will have an important role to play. What we need to do is give 100% when we get our chance. If I am substituted later, I am confident my teammates coming on will do the same.

After the last game, you looked disappointed in your interview, but today football smiled on you again. How do you feel now?

That's football. In the last game, I didn't have many touches, but today, despite the limited time, I had more opportunities to help the team. Personally, I'm very happy about that. We'll carry this feeling into our next matches.

This is your first MVP award and your first two goals at this World Cup. How do you feel after 2022? Also, how do you respond to the statistic that you did not touch the ball for 30 minutes in the last game?

That was just a minor incident—I'll leave it for you to discuss. I don't dwell on it too much. That's how it was, and I've accepted it. But as you said, I'm very pleased to have scored and very happy to have helped the team, especially the latter. In whatever way I can, I'll strive to achieve the best results for the team. Obviously, I'm very happy right now.

Has that taken a weight off your shoulders? After not finding your form in the first game, was it very important to regain your rhythm in the second?

Yes, I think it is. We needed to move on from the last game and get back into our rhythm. Today, from the start, we tried to control the match and score quickly to dictate the game. Fortunately, we capitalized on our early chances. When that happens, the game naturally changes. I thought we felt very good today, and that is something we will remember.

How do you view this turnaround? Today, Spain played very well from the start—with rhythm, intensity, and goals. How do you explain this internally?

I think there were aspects where we played better than in the last game, and some areas were different. But undoubtedly, the biggest difference was that we converted our first or second chances into goals. Football is often like that; sometimes you do the same things, but whether the ball goes in makes a huge difference. Today was different because we finished our chances from the very beginning.

Luis de la Fuente mentioned yesterday that you had a strong urge and some frustration. Did the outside noise really affect you this much this week?

No, no, no—don’t overstate it. It’s not really about you; it’s about us. When things don’t go well or matches don’t unfold as expected, players reflect internally and look for ways to improve. That was our mindset. We knew we could do much better than in the last game, and we wanted to change that. Today’s strong start and excellent opening were very important to us. I think we achieved that.

In 26 minutes, you provided an assist, scored two goals, and nearly completed a hat-trick with the outside of your left foot. What is the difference between playing with two traditional wingers and playing with more inverted players?

Every player has different characteristics. Regardless of who you are partnered with, you adapt to their style and try to maximize their strengths. In fact, the changes when playing alongside different players are not always as significant as people think; often, it depends more on the opponent and how you feel once you are in the match. Today, from the first minute, I felt different than before, and I am very pleased about that.

Congratulations on a wonderful performance and on being named MVP. With these two goals, can you now claim that famous "Oyarzabal-land" nickname in the locker room? You’ve certainly made a strong start with this brace.

I remain calm, as always, and I won’t get carried away by these things. I hope to help the team as much as possible whenever I get the opportunity. Whether I’m playing or not, I’ll contribute in different ways. I’ll always put the team’s interests first—that’s what I’ve focused on in the past, what I do now, and what I believe is key to our continued progress.