Spain is already in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The National Team overcame Austria on a night of elimination, tension, and competitive maturity, with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro to break a barrier that had been chasing La Roja for too many years: winning a knockout round in a World Cup again.
Luis de la Fuente's team did not need a wild exhibition, but something more valuable in a World Cup: control, patience, and finishing. Austria tried to disrupt with pressure, legs, and a physical structure, but Spain imposed the game with the ball until finding the space that opened up the tie.
Oyarzabal opens Spain's path
The first blow came in the first half. Mikel Oyarzabal appeared where strikers who understand big games show up: in the box, at the right moment, and with the play already mature. The attacker finished Marc Cucurella's pass and put Spain ahead against an Austria that had resisted until then, but was beginning to cede ground.
Before that, the match had already provided one of the images of the night: a disallowed goal for Cucurella after a set-piece. The play ignited the refereeing debate, but did not take Spain out of the game. On the contrary: the National Team kept pushing, found more speed between the lines, and turned superiority into a real advantage.
Pedro Porro seals it against Austria
In the second half, Spain found the second goal. Pedro Porro, one of the new faces in the starting lineup, appeared in the box to head home a cross from Álex Baena and seal the match. It was a very typical play for this National Team: long circulation, patience, width, and arrival from the second line.
Austria made substitutions and tried to gain offensive presence, but Spain did not lose control. La Roja defended with order, managed the tempo, and prevented the match from entering that dangerous territory where a tie becomes a coin toss.
Cucurella, Oyarzabal, and Porro mark La Roja's night
The night had several standout performers. Oyarzabal was once again decisive, Pedro Porro responded as a starter, and Cucurella was involved in one of the key moments of the match. Lamine Yamal also attracted attention again, although this time the game was decided more by collective structure than by individual action.
Spain did not just win: they won like teams that want to advance in a World Cup. Without getting disorganized, without giving up the midfield, and without allowing Austria the game they were looking for.
Spain awaits Portugal or Croatia in the round of 16
With this victory, Spain qualifies for the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. Their next opponent will come from the Portugal - Croatia match, a tie that will decide the other side of the draw.
Spain's next match will be on Monday, July 6 in Dallas. La Roja is already on the next stage of the World Cup. And now the tournament is starting to get really serious.