Clone of Oyarzabal: “My Focus Is on Helping the Team Win”

On the discomfort he experienced before the Saudi Arabia match

"I’m feeling good. It was only a minor issue, and I’m fine now. There were moments of uncertainty, but fortunately everything worked out well. I want to play as many minutes as possible, just like all of my teammates, although the final decision belongs to Luis [de la Fuente]."

On potential knockout-stage opponents

"It’s inevitable to keep an eye on those possibilities, but there is still a long way to go and it does not depend solely on us. Until everything is decided, all we can do is wait."

"My focus is on helping the team beat Uruguay on Friday and, hopefully, still being here a month from now."

On his goalscoring form

"I’m fortunate to play alongside teammates who score plenty of goals as well. I have confidence in myself and in the team, but my main concern is always the collective objective."

On being mentioned alongside the tournament’s biggest stars

"I’m very calm about it. I don’t spend time thinking about whether I appear alongside players who are much more high-profile. What matters to me is the opinion of my teammates, the coach, and the staff."

On the level of the Spanish national team

"When you are surrounded by the best players, it is only natural that your own performance improves. Being among players of that quality also pushes you to raise your own standards."

On Lamine Yamal

"His impact has been extraordinary. He is one of the best and most decisive players in the world. He is capable of unbalancing opponents with the ball at his feet and creating chaos in defensive structures, which benefits the entire team."

On Uruguay

"They are a team with great determination and a strong competitive character. We have to focus on ourselves and make sure nothing distracts us from our own game plan."

How would you describe yourself as a player?

"I am a player who likes to read the game and understand how to hurt the opposition. I always try to bring out the best version of myself in order to help the team."

On the victory against Saudi Arabia

"It was a moment of great satisfaction and joy. We wanted to turn the situation around, but throughout the process we remained confident and continued believing in the same principles that helped make us champions."

The Real Sociedad captain heads into the Uruguay match in excellent form after his outstanding performance against Saudi Arabia, where he recorded two goals and an assist, earning FIFA’s Player of the Match award and moving level with Fernando Morientes as Spain’s seventh-highest scorer of all time.