- Mikel Oyarzabal claimed highest rated Player of the Match honors with a brilliant brace.
- Spain’s fullbacks were heavily involved in the attack; alongside Porro’s goal, left-back Marc Cucurella bounced back from a disallowed goal to provide two assists.
- Midfield anchor Rodri dictated the tempo with a match-high 92 passes sending Spain to the Round of 16 where they will face either Portugal or Croatia on July 5, 2026.
Following Spain’s 3–0 victory over Austria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 at SoFi Stadium, La Roja turned in an exceptional all-around performance to seal their ticket to the Round of 16.
Mikel Oyarzabal stole the headlines, netting a brilliant brace to cap off a masterclass performance.
Spain broke the deadlock in the first half following a clever Marc Cucurella delivery, before a thumping second-half header from Pedro Porro set the stage for Oyarzabal to put the game completely out of reach.
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Below are the player ratings from a captivating night in Los Angeles.
Goalkeeper & Defence
Unai Simón (6.0/10): Had a relatively quiet night as Austria struggled to pose any real danger. Dealt with the minimal actions required of him comfortably to secure the clean sheet.
Pedro Porro (9.0/10): An absolute menace down the right flank. He combined masterfully with Lamine Yamal, created 5 chances, and capped off a stellar performance by crashing into the penalty box to head home Spain’s second goal.
Pau Cubarsí (6.5/10): Superb and progressive when distribution was needed from the back line, though he found himself on the losing end of a few physical duels against Austria’s press.
Aymeric Laporte (7.5/10): Exceptionally steady alongside Cubarsí. Showed his pure defensive quality by winning 9 out of his 9 total duels on the pitch to completely lock down the box.
Marc Cucurella (8.5/10): Thought he scored an early opener before it was chalked off for a foul on the keeper. Redeemed himself significantly by registering two crucial assists for Spain’s first and final goals.
Midfield
Rodri (7.5/10): The undisputed heartbeat and tempo controller of the team. He finished with 92 passes—the most of any player on the pitch—and displayed flawless precision with his long balls.
Pedri (7.0/10): Maintained fluid rhythm in the middle of the park and helped effortlessly lock down possessional dominance against Austria’s midfield block.
Álex Baena (8.0/10): Stepped in seamlessly to provide technical fluidity moving between lines and served up a perfectly placed cross to assist Porro’s goal.
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Attack
Mikel Oyarzabal (9.0/10) • PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Kept up his blistering international form. Led the line masterfully, firing Spain ahead in the 36th minute and putting the game completely out of reach with a late tap-in to finish his brace.
Lamine Yamal (7.8/10): Brought his signature flair and directness down the right side, creating constant structural headaches for Austria’s back line while unlocking spaces for Porro’s overlapping runs.
Dani Olmo (6.0/10): Constantly active and tried to link up play in dangerous areas, though he didn’t quite carry the same clinical edge as his attacking counterparts before being substituted.
Substitutes
Ferran Torres (6.5/10): Replaced Baena in the 70th minute to offer fresh legs and direct running out wide as Austria’s defense began to tire.
Mikel Merino (6.2/10): Came on to help stabilize and solidify the midfield context over the final 20 minutes, cutting out transitional threats.
Gavi, Fabián Ruiz, Marc Pubill (N/A): Late cameos to close out the match.
With their ticket to the Round of 16 secured, Spain are scheduled to return to action on Sunday, July 5, 2026. They will travel to face Portugal or Croatia as they continue their quest for World Cup glory.
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