Spain bench video lays bare final three-minute drama for Oyarzabal, Rodri and Fabián | OneFootball

The Spanish national team has released new footage from the World Cup final win over Argentina, revealing the last three minutes as lived on the bench. Spain were 1-0 up through Ferrán in New Jersey and the tension was palpable.

Mikel Oyarzabal, alongside Rodri, Laporte and an anxious Fabián, is shown overwhelmed as seconds tick away. The audio catches frustration at the refereeing and urgent warnings to team-mates about guarding the near post, with everything being whistled.

As the clock crawled, the bench erupted that only three minutes remained to become champions, punctuated by an expletive. Almost everyone spoke, but Oyarzabal could not bring himself to watch the pitch.

The camera lingers on the Real Sociedad captain, whose leadership is underlined by Luis de la Fuente, backed by his play and goals. Absent from Qatar 2022 with an ACL rupture, he returned four years on to lead Spain and finished as their top scorer with five.

He struck twice against Saudi Arabia in the group stage, added another brace against Austria in a 3-0 round of 32 win, and converted the penalty that opened the semi-final against France. Those goals equalled the Spanish single edition World Cup record of Emilio Butragueño and David Villa.

De la Fuente has repeatedly praised Oyarzabal’s intelligence and movement between the lines. The forward decided the Euro 2024 final against England and cherishes two Copa titles with Real Sociedad. At full time in New Jersey, Spain were world champions and his story gained another chapter.

Source: Diario Vasco

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