Oyarzabal: Missing Qatar World Cup May Have Been Fate, Waiting for This Opportunity

During Spain's national team training camp, Oyarzabal gave an exclusive interview to Radio Marca. In the second part of the interview (due to its length, we've divided it into four parts), he discusses the importance of family to him.

Even though everything has returned to normal, I think the more time passes, the more we appreciate the importance of this championship. Winning the World Cup should be the pinnacle of a football career. Everyone loves you, and hardly anyone dislikes you.

Of course, some people will. That's life—some appreciate you, some don't. Relationships vary in depth, but I've always stuck to my way of doing things: stay humble, keep my mind calm, prioritize the team, and do my best to help my teammates on and off the pitch. Honestly, I can feel everyone's affection and recognition towards me.

There's a popular online nickname recently, "Mr. Low Cortisol," which refers to you.

That's right, this nickname has gone viral, and I accept it calmly. Pressure never completely disappears, but there are moments when it fades temporarily. I'm used to approaching everything with a calm perspective.

This meme has trended on social media. Let's talk about the internet. There's something else circulating widely that I find quite interesting: do you usually read traditional news media?

Not really. I rarely read sports news, and I almost never actively seek out football-related content. I read whatever I come across; I don't specifically search for information. I read a bit of general news, but not much. If I see a headline or story that interests me, I'll read it, but I don't get too absorbed.

Now, imagine yourself as a reporter or commentator and recreate Ferran's goal from a first-person perspective, bringing back that atmosphere.

It was Porro's attack at that moment. I can't remember many details on the pitch—I just remember the ball moving near the penalty area, and Nico Williams came to receive it. Honestly, I didn't notice Ferran Torres and Merino in the box at that time.

Nico Williams passed the ball back, and as it landed in the penalty area, everyone on the bench stood up. We saw him preparing to shoot, and before the ball was even kicked, we were already running, sensing a goal was coming. And that's what happened.

After the goal, you ran towards the corner flag. Do you remember your position and what you did at that moment?

I ran to that area, immediately looking for Ferran, and then tried to make my other teammates aware of the importance of that goal and the remaining time in the match. In that chaotic and thrilling moment, I tried to keep my emotions under control because there were still a few minutes left in the game, and we didn't want our opponents to equalize.

When the final whistle blew, you shed tears. You said you cried for about 8-10 minutes, with your thoughts racing through your mind. At that moment, did you remember the knee injury from the Qatar World Cup that caused you to miss it?

Of course, all those past memories came flooding back. First, seeing the joy on my family's faces: my parents, my sister, my wife, and my son. My son probably won't remember this moment when he grows up, but we will cherish it forever. My friends were also there, accompanying me for the entire ten days.

I also thought of those who wanted to witness this moment but are no longer with us, and the difficulties and pain I've endured. I couldn't participate in that World Cup, but I always felt that missing it was perhaps fate's way of making me wait for this one. Look how beautifully it all turned out.

When you were injured and missed the Qatar World Cup, did you think fate would reward you this way? As far as I know, there are three very religious people in the dressing room: de la Fuente, Ferran, and Puivel. They often say everything is in God's hands and believe in fate. Do you believe that too? Were you at peace during those difficult times?

Of course not. When you suffer a serious knee injury, your first concern is whether you can maintain your current competitive level and continue playing. In one night, many things collapsed—the routines you took for granted: going to the training center, having breakfast with teammates, chatting and training, laughter outside the stadium—all disappeared.

The recovery process had to be faced alone, at my own pace. While my teammates were resting or training, I was the only one going through recovery. Those days were indeed very difficult, but the circle of family and friends I mentioned earlier supported me to stay calm, keep training, and sharpen my skills.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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