Real Sociedad could celebrate their first World Cup winner
Real Sociedad could have a World Cup winner tonight as Spain face Argentina in the 2026 final. Captain Mikel Oyarzabal is key for Spain and will aim for his sixth goal in the tournament, which would make him the national team’s all-time top scorer, surpassing Butragueño and Villa.
Oyarzabal has a perfect record in finals. He scored in both Copa del Rey finals for Real Sociedad (2021 vs Athletic and 2026 vs Atlético de Madrid), as well as in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic final, the 2025 Nations League and Euro 2024.
When do Real Sociedad’s internationals return?
After the World Cup final, Oyarzabal will be the last to return to Zubieta on 10 August, just a week before the 2026-27 La Liga season starts. The team, which finished 10th last season with 46 points (11 wins, 13 draws, 14 losses), will begin their campaign on 21 August against Betis.
Take Kubo returns on 23 July, Luka Sucic on 24 July and Gonçalo Guedes on 29 July. The team aims to improve after an inconsistent season, scoring 59 goals and conceding 61, with a recent run of 0 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses (LDDDL).
What’s next for Real Sociedad?
Real Sociedad’s next match is on 16 August against Real Madrid, second in the table. The team needs to strengthen to avoid repeating last season’s 48-point gap to leaders Barcelona.
