Tag Archives: Mikel Oyarzabal

Spain’s Rodri Named Best Player of the 2024 European Championships, Lamine Yamal Named Best Young Player

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Rodri is officially the best…

The 28-year-old Spanish professional footballer, who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the Spain national team, has been named as the best player of the European Championships, with team-mate Lamine Yamal winning the best young player of the tournament award.

RodriRodri started in six of his nation’s seven matches throughout the tournament, only sitting out the final group stage victory — which Spain 1-0, having already qualified for the last 16 stage.

Rodri man was influential for his nation throughout Euro 2024, even scoring in the round-of-16 victory over Georgia.

Rodri was taken off injured at halftime in the final after suffering hamstring discomfort in the first half, being replaced by Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad.

Meanwhile, Barcelona forward Yamal — who had a tournament-high four assists — was named as the young player of the European Championships, awarded to the best player aged 22 or younger, having celebrated his 17th birthday on Saturday.

His Barcelona teammate Pedri, who was injured in the quarterfinal victory over Germany, won the award in Euro 2020.

Spain defeated England 2-1 in the final with goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal. Luis de la Fuente’s side had previously defeated hosts Germany and pre-tournament favorites France on their path to Sunday’s decider in Berlin.

Rodri’s award caps off his successful club season as he helped Manchester City to win the Premier League title, with the only defeat in which he played for club or country throughout the season the FA Cup final loss to Manchester United in late May.

Mikel Oyarzabal Scores Late Winner to Lead Spain to History-Making European Championship Title

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Mikel Oyarzabal is being heralded a hero after helping lead Spain to a historic title.

The 27-year-old Spanish professional footballer, who came into the game as a substitute, struck in the 87th minute to give Spain a dramatic 2-1 victory over England on Sunday in the European Championship final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, helping lead his country to a record fourth Euro crown.

Mikel Oyarzabal“Losing in a final is as tough as it gets,” said England captain Harry Kane. “We did really well to get back into the game but we didn’t quite keep the same intensity and pressure I guess. We couldn’t quite keep the ball and we got punished for it.”

After an extremely cautious first half in which Spain had more possession and their opponents got the only shot on target, it only took two minutes after the restart for the Spaniards to break the deadlock.

Yamal found space down the right and crossed for fellow winger Williams to slot home as England fell behind for the fourth successive match.

Spain then enjoyed a purple patch with a series of sharp attacks as England’s previously watertight defense fell apart and Dani Olmo, Morata and Williams all had good chances.

England boss Gareth Southgate reacted by sending on Ollie Watkins, the goal-scoring substitute hero of the semifinal, for an ineffective Kane after an hour, with Palmer, their most creative player for the past month, joining him 10 minutes later.

It paid off almost immediately when Jude Bellingham laid the ball back into Palmer’s path and the substitute curled home a precise low 20-meter shot in the 73rd minute.

The massed ranks of England fans, who vastly outnumbered their rivals, exploded, and the whole feel of the night changed.

Spain weathered the storm and a lapse of concentration saw England undone as Oyarzabal poked the ball home.

There was still time for more drama at the other end as Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón parried a Declan Rice header from a corner and Olmo blocked Marc Guehi’s follow up on the line.

Spain survived to add a fourth title to those won in 1964, 2008 and 2012 and became only the third team in the last nine Euros to win the trophy without coming through a shootout at some point in the tournament following France (2000) and Greece (2004).

Mikel Oyarzabal & His Spanish Teammate Claim Men’s Soccer Silver at the Tokyo Games

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2020 Tokyo Games

There’s a silver lining for Mikel Oyarzabal.

The 24-year-old Spanish footballer leveled the score in the men’s gold medal match between Spain and Brazil, 1-1, at the 2020 Tokyo Games, but La Roja ultimately had to settle for silver.

Mikel Oyarzabal

Coach Luis de la Fuente’s team went into the game undefeated in the competition, although they went to extra time in both their quarterfinal and semifinal ties.

Brazil had Everton’s Richarlison to call upon, the competition’s top scorer with five goals, as well as Dani Alves, who – at 38 – was looking to win the 44th title of his storied career.

Mikel Oyarzabal

Brazil had an excellent chance to take the lead early when they earned a penalty kick after Unai Simon clattered Matheus Cunha. Richarlison stepped up to the plate, but blazed his effort high and wide. The selecao got their breakthrough soon after, however, with Cunha finishing superbly after Alves teed him up artfully, before Mikel Oyarzabal, assisted by Carlos Soler, got Spain back on level terms with an absolutely stunning volley to force extra time.

https://twitter.com/JDNalton/status/1423990829908172802

 

Malcolm emerged as the hero for Brazil, though, as he raced free and slotted home past the heroic Unai Simon to clinch the gold medal for the South American nation.

Brazil would edge past Spain 2-1 to win its second-straight Olympic title.

They also become just the fifth team in Olympics history to win consecutive titles in men’s soccer.

Spain Soccer Team Mikel Oyarzabal

It’s the third silver for Spain after being the runner-up at the 1920 Antwerp Games and the 2000 Sydney Games.

Spain’s lone Olympic gold came at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

Dani Alves Helps Lead Brazil to Gold in Men’s Soccer at Tokyo Games

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2020 Tokyo Games

He may be 38, but Dani Alves has managed to collect a new title… Olympic champion.

The Brazilian soccer star helped lead his country to the gold medal in men’s soccer at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Dani Alves

Draped in the Brazilian flag, Alves – the captain of the team – cherished the 43rd winners’ medal of a career that shows no sign of winding down.

All that’s missing from the set of major honors after this 2-1 victory over Spain — secured in extra time by Malcolm — is World Cup glory.

Don’t write off the game’s most decorated player trying to make it to Qatar next year. He’s keen.

“I’m a dreamer, a small dreamer, and more than a dreamer, somebody who executes their dreams,” Alves said. “The most important thing is to fight, and that’s what I know what to do. I have the drive of a 23-year-old. I still want to do big things in football.”

The right back was determined to come to the Tokyo Games after not being part of the 2016 Olympic gold on home soil at the 2016 Rio Games.

“I fought to be in three Olympic Games,” he said. “I am grateful to all the people who worked with me, that believed in me, and I want them to know that all the hard work has paid off.”

He managed to play all of Brazil’s six games in Japan — 600 minutes in 16 days.

“This is a dream coming true, to be on the top of the Olympic podium,” he said. “No matter how much history you have, how much experience you have. I came here for the first time and to come back with the biggest prize … I am lost for words.”

It was Alves who set up the opener, keeping alive Claudinho’s cross and hooking the ball back into the area for Matheus Cunha to strike into first-half stoppage time.

“My captain Dani, he’s unbelievable, he helps everyone,” Cunha said. “I think this feeling, he comes to the group and the feeling goes up.”

He was one of only three permitted overage players in a youthful squad that idolized him growing up as he collected trophies at Juventus, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

“You know the difference in age is a little bit (big),” the 22-year-old Cunha said. “I’m like a little boy when I saw Barcelona, the Brazil national team, and now we were together, we take one gold medal for Brazil.”

They had to work for it against a Spain side featuring six players coming straight from the run to the European Championship.

Spain tied it in the 61st minute when Mikel Oyarzabal volleyed in from Carlos Soler’s cross. Spain hit the crossbar twice late in regulation time — from Oscar Gil and Bryan Gil.

The inability to find the target meant Spain ended up with silver — and no repeat of the 1992 Barcelona Games gold — after Malcom’s winner in the 108th minute.

The forward, who came off the bench for extra time, held off Jesus Vallejo before racing forward and seeing his shot from a tight angle deflect off goalkeeper Unai Simon’s left boot and fly into the net.