Mikel Oyarzabal, clamour in Madrid, eternity in Gipuzkoa | OneFootball

Mikel Oyarzabal, Real Sociedad’s understated captain, surfaced amid Madrid’s World Cup frenzy, yet his mind was already turning back to Gipuzkoa.

Diario Vasco reports that hundreds of thousands lined the capital as Oyarzabal and fellow Gipuzkoan Martin Zubimendi, now at Arsenal, waved from the bus and visited La Zarzuela and La Moncloa.

Oyarzabal struck five goals at this World Cup, two against Saudi Arabia, two against Austria and one against France, the national side’s leading haul, matched only by Emilio Butragueño and David Villa at a World Cup.

His semi-final strike against France was chanted across the city, but after roughly 4,500 minutes this season he was already looking north.

Eibar is dressing the town for an official reception, date to suit his schedule, and City Hall has begun proceedings to name him Adopted Son, an honour the mayor, Jon Iraola, called fitting, with the motion due before the Junta de Portavoces today.

For his inner circle, including his doctor wife and his parents, pride stayed quiet as the squad disperse and Oyarzabal steers for the green roads of Gipuzkoa to become simply Mikel again.

His cuadrilla, who supported him in the United States camp, will keep it simple, a table, the usual jokes and, as in New York’s MetLife Stadium, friends close by for a photo with the Cup on the turf.

In Eibar there will be no red carpets or set speeches, only flares, embraces and laughter for a world champion who returns unchanged.

Source: Diario Vasco