Spain

Spain goalscorer Mikel Oyarzabal: "I am happy because I got to help my team. We made it through to the next game and now we need to rest. A pretty complicated match, we knew it would be difficult. They were quite a physical team. It was a great day, a great match and we are happy.

"I believe some of the matches have been good, others perhaps not that good but we are going to keep on going.

"Croatia or Portugal? I don't know. I have a friend in each team, so bring them on."

Before every Spain game at this World Cup, one name has dominated the back of the shirts worn by fans - Lamine Yamal.

He was the focus of the cameras at Los Angeles Stadium too when he arrived for Thursday's last-32 tie against Austria - and again the centre of attention when the players came out on to the pitch.

But the player who is perhaps not the biggest name in this Spain squad is the one who has so far shone the brightest - Mikel Oyarzabal.

The 29-year-old Real Sociedad striker scored twice as the reigning European champions comfortably beat Austria 3-0 to secure a first knockout win in 16 years and progress to the last 16.

"It's so clear that [Yamal] is the leader of the side, that everything that everybody does has to do with him," Spanish football expert Guillem Balague told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Mikel Oyarzabal is the invisible man, he has scored in every final he has ever played.

"He is one of the most intelligent players we have and he is the other one who can be a match-winner."

Oyarzabal’s opener was the first World Cup knockout goal scored by a Spain player since Andres Iniesta’s decisive effort in South Africa 16 years ago.

Their goal against Russia in the last 16 in 2018 when they lost on penalties to the hosts was an own goal.

Image source, Getty

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Pierluigi Collina was very clear to coaches before the World Cup. Any type of blocking action that impedes a defender or goalkeeper from playing the ball will not be tolerated.

For Germany's disallowed goal against Paraguay, Collina insists that Waldemar Anton's only role was to get in the way of Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.

Did Gill move into Anton? Yes, but only because the Germany player positioned himself there.

If you are disallowing the Germany goal, then for consistency Spain's has to be too.

Collina would argue although Pau Cubarsi jumped for the ball, he was there to impede the space which Austria keeper Alexander Schlager wanted to use.

It seems alien to anyone who watches the Premier League every week, but Collina wants "clean football".

Joe Hart analyses the decision to rule out Marc Cucurella's goal against Austria for a foul on Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager during their last-32 game in Los Angeles, with Hart believing the decision was soft.

Joe Hart doesn't think so, Rory...

Darren Cann
Former Premier League assistant referee on BBC One

It is consistent with the refereeing earlier in the tournament but certainly in the Premier League, that would be given.

I would have given goal, but I can see why it was ruled out. It is similar to the Tah one for Germany.

Dion Dublin
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

I don't think there is anything wrong with that at all.

There is three Spain players around Alexander Schlager and he should be stronger.

They're allowed to stand there and jump for the ball, you don't have to allow the goalkeeper to catch it.

I think it is absolutely ridiculous, I think that is a perfectly legal goal.

Marc Cucurella smashed the ball into the back of the net from close range, but the referee was quick to blow his whistle and disallow the goal.

What do you think?

Emma Smith
BBC Sport

Spain won a knockout match at the men's World Cup for the first time in 16 years as they cruised past Austria in Los Angeles to reach the last 16.

After 36 minutes of gradually increasing pressure, Spain finally took the lead when Marc Cucurella's low cross was swept home from 12 yards by Mikel Oyarzabal.

They deservedly doubled their lead in the 66th minute when patient build-up ended in right-back Pedro Porro charging into the box to head home Alex Baena's cross.

And a crushing victory was sealed as Cucurella and Oyarzabal combined again with a minute remaining. The new Real Madrid left-back played a perfect through-ball for the striker to slide home his fourth goal of the tournament.

Having been frustrated for the opening half an hour of the last-32 tie, Spain thought they had the lead when Cucurella smashed home a half-cleared corner - but it was disallowed as Pau Cubarsi was harshly judged to have fouled Austria keeper Alexander Schlager.

Schlager's heroics prevented Spain from being out of sight by half-time, denying Oyarzabal with a fine low save to his left, shortly before the European champions took the lead.

He then made a brilliant double save, tipping Baena's free-kick on to the crossbar before blocking Lamine Yamal's fierce follow-up with his chest.

However, Spain continued to dominate after the restart to run out comfortable winners.

Austria, playing their first World Cup knockout fixture since 1954, came close when substitute Sasa Kalajdzic headed over with his first touch.

But they rarely threatened further, meaning Spain join Mexico in not conceding a goal in their first four 2026 World Cup matches.

Did someone say more VAR controversy??

Let's take a look at how Spain breezed past Austria and that Marc Cucurella goal ruled out for a foul on Alexander Schlager.

Send us your opinions on the disallowed goal using the 'Get Involved' button.

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport journalist in Toronto

Image source, Getty Images

Portugal paid a touching tribute to Diogo Jota at the end of their remarkable World Cup victory against Croatia.

It is a year since Jota, while a Liverpool player, died in a car accident in Spain, 11 days after marrying his long-term partner Rute Cardoso.

His brother Andre Silva was also killed in the accident on 3 July 2025.

At the end of Portugal's drama-filled 2-1 win to set up a last-16 tie against Spain, Cristiano Ronaldo put on a special '21' shirt in Jota's memory before the squad came together with the shirt held aloft.

Before the game, towards the end of Portugal's national anthem, Jota's picture appeared on the big screen in Toronto, and was greeted with a loud cheer from the supporters.

Ronaldo also appeared emotional as the cameras focused on him, having played with Jota 32 times for their country.

"Diogo is our sun and our light," said Portugal manager Roberto Martinez before the match, having named Jota as an honorary 'plus-one' player when he announced his squad in May.

"We want to win the World Cup for him."

Jota, 28, was on his way back to Liverpool for pre-season when the car, a Lamborghini, left the road because of a tyre blowout while overtaking another vehicle.

He was making the journey to England by car and ferry as doctors had advised the forward, who celebrated winning the Premier League title two months earlier, against flying because he had undergone minor surgery.

"I still talk to him," Ruben Neves said about Jota, his close friend and former Porto, Wolves and Portugal team-mate, in the build-up to the match.

"We have a WhatsApp group with Rute and Diogo, and it's still there, and we continue to talk there," he told Portuguese TV show Alta Definicao.

"Whenever something special happens, I have the conversations archived on my WhatsApp so I can continue to send him messages."

We’ve got two more games to recap from last night.

Before we get into those, Portugal paid a fitting tribute to Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident a year-ago, on 3 July 2025.

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Fifa has spent millions in partnership with Adidas to develop the technology for semi-automated offside - which includes the chip in the ball. Or, as it is officially known, connected ball technology.

This tech is ultra sensitive and can show when the ball has been touched.

It was first used at the 2022 World Cup when, coincidentally, Cristiano Ronaldo was not credited with a goal against Uruguay when the tech said the ball had gone straight in without flicking off the head of the Portugal captain.

Was it a light touch by Igor Matanovic? For sure, but it was there. And that meant Mario Pasalic had to be offside.

Just like in cricket, if the spike is present the ball has been touched. The catch has to be given. Here, the offside must be given.

If the goal had been allowed to stand and Croatia went on to win, it would clearly be unacceptable to Portugal that Fifa ignore its own technology.

Image source, Getty Images

Let’s get back to discussing VAR, your opinions and how Fifa have been developing the technology that caused controversy last night.