Pedro Porro 'silenced the English' with statistical masterclass vs Austria
Tottenham Hotspur defender Pedro Porro was in stunning form as Spain beat Austria on Thursday to reach the World Cup round of 16.
The 26-year-old the European champions' second goal after Mikel Oyarzabal had put them ahead, before the Real Sociedad legend added his second and Spain's third.
Luis de la Fuente's side will now meet Portugal in the next round, after they made it through a dramatic game against Croatia.
Porro had been reportedly attracting interest from Manchester City ahead of this summer, but committed his future to Tottenham by signing a new four-year deal last month.
The contract also contains an option to extend it to 2032, with the Lilywhites keen to keep hold of their right-back.
As did most players in a Tottenham shirt, Porro experienced a difficult season and will hope to play a significant part in Roberto De Zerbi's new era.
Pedro Porro's staggering stats vs Austria
Before Thursday's game, Porro had never scored a goal at the international stage. You would not have known that if you watched him against Austria, however.
With Spain looking for a second goal to kill off the game, nice interplay unlocked Alex Baena and allowed him space inside the penalty box.
The Atletico Madrid winger cut the ball back and like a seasoned striker, Porro arrived to powerfully head past Alexander Schlager and wheel away in celebration.
It was a moment to remember for the Tottenham man, and well-deserved for the brilliance of his performance.
The right-back created a staggering five chances throughout the game, completing a successful dribble, 12 passes into the final third and three crosses, while also winning two free-kicks.
And defensively, Porro was almost perfect. The 26-year-old made a tackle, two clearances, an interception, seven recoveries and lost just one of the six duels he contested.
Spanish media hail Porro
Porro's Spain debut came in 2021, but he would have to wait until 2023 for his second appearance - a game against Scotland at Hampden Park.
After just seven minutes, disaster struck. Under pressure from Andy Robertson, the right-back slipped just outside his box and allowed the ball to be cut back to the arriving Scott McTominay.
That mistake would cost Porro a year in the Spain squad, with his next cap coming in a friendly against Colombia.
"When Pedro Porro scored, I was reminded of that video he recorded with his family on the day the squad list was announced," wrote Jose Felix Diaz for AS.
"The suffering he endured until his name appeared is something that should be shown in every football academy so everyone understands how hard it is to reach the top.
"Porro is a tough guy. He's managed to silence the English laughter that followed his match with Spain against Scotland. Those who were laughing will be crying today seeing him at a World Cup and scoring."