Mikel Oyarzabal’s Scottish link, a hero in Scotland too | OneFootball

Glasgow journalist Craig Williams sought a Scottish link to the World Cup finalists, finding Mikel Oyarzabal via David Moyes and a 2015 pre-season debut in Methil. According to Diario Vasco, he then turned that discovery into a keepsake for the Real Sociedad captain.

Moyes first fielded the teenager on 12 July 2015 against St Johnstone. Williams later found an original printed teamsheet from that match on eBay and bought it for £1.99.

His official bow came a couple of months later, on matchday nine of 2015/16, as a late substitute at Levante for Carlos Vela in a 0-4. His first goal arrived on 8 February 2016, in his second start, against Espanyol.

He emailed Real Sociedad, mailed the sheet and three weeks later received a photo of Oyarzabal with it. On returning to Zubieta after three weeks’ holiday, Oyarzabal sent a return gift, which Williams called a touching gesture from a world champion.

Williams knows Donostia well. He has yet to see a match at Anoeta, but often visits Dabadaba, promotes gigs in Glasgow and keeps ties with Basque band Belako.

He says Scots warm to Oyarzabal, seeing him as a hero since his Euro final goal against England. The player’s approachable image, he adds, shone in the video of friends welcoming him home in Eibar after the European title.

Source: Diario Vasco

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”