Spain thrash Austria to qualify for World Cup round of 16
Spain defeated Austria 3-0 to qualify for the 2026 World Cup round of 16 at the Los Angeles Stadium on Thursday.
The 2010 champions produced a dominant performance to advance to the next stage of the tournament.
Mikel Oyazarbal opened the scoring with a close range finish from Marc Cucurella’s cross in the 36th minute to set Spain on course for a deserved victory.
Pedro Porro headed in Alex Baena’s cross in the 66th to make it 2-0 as Austria struggled to find their way back into the game.
Oyarzabal put the icing on the cake in the 86th with a one-time finish from another Marc Cucurella’s assist to make it 3-0.
Spain will now play the winner between Portugal and Croatia in the round of 16 on Monday in Arlington, Texas.
Read Also: Pochettino praises USA players after win over Bosnia
Top Stats From Spain vs Austria
It is the first time Spain have scored two goals in a knockout match at the World Cup since beating Switzerland 3-0 in 1994.
Mikel Oyarzabal has scored 14 goals and made 7 assists in his last 14 games for Spain.
Unai Simón has set the all time record for the most amount of minutes played by a goalkeeper at a single World Cup without conceding (519).
Spain have won a World Cup knockout round game for the first time since they won the tournament in 2010.
❌ vs. Russia (2018)
❌ vs. Morocco (2022)
✅ vs. Austria (2026)
18 – 🇪🇸 Lamine Yamal is the youngest European player in history to end on the winning side in 10 matches at major tournaments, aged 18 years and 354 days.
He is five years younger than the previous record holder (Kylian Mbappé – 23 years and 355 days).
0 – 🇪🇸 Spain didn’t allow a shot on target versus Austria; the first time a team haven’t allowed one in a FIFA World Cup knockout stage match since Germany in the 2014 final (0 v Argentina).
2 – 🇪🇸 Pau Cubarsí and Lamine Yamal are the first pair of teenagers to start a FIFA World Cup knockout match for a team for 68 years.
Pelé and Altafini in 1958 for 🇧🇷 Brazil against 🏴 Wales in the quarter-final were the last to do so.
Most goals scored for Spain at a single World Cup tournament:
◎ 5 – Emilio Butragueño (1986)
◎ 5 – David Villa (2010)
◉ 4 – Mikel Oyarzabal (2026)🔺
◎ 4 – Michel (1950)
◎ 4 – Zara (1950)
◎ 4 – Estanislau Basora (1950)
