On the planet of worldwide soccer, 12 years isn’t a very long time to go with no main trophy. But the aftermath of Spain’s tiki-taka impressed interval of dominance between 2008 and 2012 has felt like a endless cycle of errors being repeated and Spanish makes an attempt to win silverware ending in acquainted and sometimes embarrassing vogue.
To grasp why, it’s maybe value going again first to a gaggle stage exit at Euro 2004 or maybe a 3-1 defeat to France within the round-of-16 on the 2006 World Cup when a Spanish eleven that includes the likes of Iker Casillas, Carles Puyol, Sergio Ramos and Xavi crashed out with star forwards Raul, Fernando Torres and David Villa all additionally beginning that match.
Whereas after this summer season’s triumph, Spain at the moment are essentially the most profitable crew in Euros historical past, again then they have been the continent’s nice underachievers, having received only one main title – the 1964 European Nations’ Cup, the second version of the match which noticed solely 4 groups participate. Their World Cup report was much more depressing with Spain solely as soon as making it into the final 4.
Producing expertise has by no means actually been an issue for a football-mad nation, dwelling to among the greatest and finest golf equipment on the planet. Attempt as they may, getting that expertise to come back collectively to type an efficient nationwide crew was a puzzle that Spanish nationwide crew coaches all through the ages would fail to unravel.
Aided by a era of world class expertise in nearly each place, it was a code that was lastly cracked by Luis Aragones in 2008 and Vicente del Bosque in 2010 and 2012. Spain reigned supreme, utilizing a passing model that introduced the perfect out of their many small, however technically gifted midfield gamers and invariably compelled even the strongest of opponents into submission.
It’s subsequently completely pure that the Spain groups at subsequent tournaments would largely attempt to replicate the soccer that had delivered three straight main trophies for a nation that had solely beforehand reached one main closing.
Because the golden era aged, Del Bosque’s reign fizzled out a lot sooner than many anticipated with a gaggle stage exit on the 2014 World Cup and a round-of-16 defeat to Italy at Euro 2016.
Because the mediocrity and in lots of instances apathy in the direction of the Spanish crew returned in a rustic the place the connection between soccer followers and their nationwide aspect is a sophisticated one, so too did among the in-fighting and off the pitch points that had beforehand plagued La Seleccion.
Julen Lopetegui was sacked simply in the future earlier than the beginning of the 2018 World Cup as particulars about his deal to take over at Actual Madrid grew to become public. Fernando Hierro took non permanent cost and oversaw a shock round-of-16 exit towards Russia, in a match dubbed ‘demise by 1000 passes’ with La Roja finishing 1008 passes to their opponents’ 192 earlier than shedding on penalties.
Then got here the Luis Enrique period, with the previous Actual Madrid and Barcelona participant promising a contemporary strategy. Euro 2020 and a visit to the semi-finals was a promising step in the correct path, but it surely too resulted in acquainted vogue with Spain shedding a World Cup round-of-16 tie towards Morocco on penalties, once more finishing greater than 4 occasions as many passes as their opponents however solely managing one shot heading in the right direction throughout 120 minutes.
Enter Luis de la Fuente who had spent most of Spain’s decade of ache teaching the nation’s youth groups. An U19 European champion in 2015, an U21 European champion in 2019 and an Olympic silver medalist in 2021, the then 61 12 months outdated had a powerful CV when it got here to underage soccer, however was nearly fully unproven on the highest degree having not coached a senior crew since an ill-fated 11-game spell at Alaves, then of the third tier, in 2011.
In brief, it was not an appointment that captured the creativeness of the Spanish public with little confidence that he’d be the person to resurrect the fortunes of the senior crew.
Early outcomes and performances did little to revive that perception both. In simply his second match in cost, De la Fuente oversaw a determined 2-0 qualifying defeat in Glasgow towards Scotland with many already starting to query whether or not he’d even make it so far as the Euros, not to mention win it.
The following worldwide get-together was an altogether extra profitable affair with Spain beating Croatia on penalties to win the Nations League to seal a primary trophy in 11 years, albeit a serious one.
It wasn’t as if that success was sufficient to win too many hearts and minds and it’s value noting that the wingers that began the Croatia sport have been Yeremy Pino and Marco Asensio with Jordi Alba and Jesus Navas the beginning full-backs.
For various causes, solely Navas would make it to Euro 2024 as again as much as Dani Carvajal at proper again, however among the foundations for an excellent summer season in Germany have been already being laid.
The Nations League noticed De la Fuente put his religion in Luis Enrique’s primary Unai Simon somewhat than Kepa Arrizabalaga who had began the opening Euro qualifiers. He additionally plumped for a central defensive partnership of Robin Le Normand and Aymeric Laporte, two French-born gamers who’ve remained the popular pairing regardless of the latter shifting to play his membership soccer in Saudi Arabia.
One other favorite of De la Fuente, however till this summer season not a lot the Spanish public or media, was Fabian Ruiz who partnered Rodri on the base of midfield within the Nations League closing and excelled at Euro 2024 in the identical function.
The backbone of De la Fuente’s aspect was beginning to emerge and his willingness to disregard public criticism and keep loyal to sure gamers was most evident within the continued choice of Alvaro Morata up entrance, with the Atletico Madrid man additionally taking over the captaincy regardless of the barrage of criticism that has come his method through the years from supporters.
Even through the unqualified success of Euro 2024, De la Fuente was having to defend Morata, who by all accounts did a advantageous job behind the scenes within the management function, claiming earlier than the semi-final towards France “the remedy he receives as a participant representing our nationwide crew is completely unfair”.
“He’s an instance for everybody. I’m extraordinarily grateful to Morata for his perspective as a footballer and as an individual” he continued.
Whereas he initially appeared deeply uncertain as to the make-up of his finest crew with Iago Aspas, David Garcia, Dani Ceballos, Iñigo Martínez, Alejandro Balde, Pedro Porro and Joselu amongst these to start out for Spain throughout De la Fuente’s first worldwide break, he quickly made fast progress on that entrance and opted for extra continuity than Luis Enrique whose college of thought tended to be rather more reactive to membership type.
Though much less confrontational and fewer participating than his predecessor whose press conferences have been usually edgy affairs, De la Fuente has confirmed to be a far harder character and a much better and bolder coach than anybody may have anticipated when he took the job in December 2022.
He’s been in a position to block out the appreciable exterior noise and give attention to getting the massive selections proper, one thing he’s had an unimaginable knack for doing over the previous 12 months.
A few of these selections could appear apparent now on the again of seven straight victories at Euro 2024, however issues have been far much less black and white within the construct as much as a match that La Roja have been the dominant and deserving winners of.
No doubt the most important of these calls was to go all-in on each Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, two immensely proficient younger wingers who turned simply 22 and 17 respectively within the days earlier than the ultimate.
Each gamers began six of Spain’s seven matches in Germany, solely sitting out the largely educational closing group sport towards Albania. The duo have been completely integral to Spain’s potential to lastly transfer on from the period of tiki-taka and undertake a extra aggressive, extra thrilling strategy to soccer that has yielded such spectacular outcomes, however to select each to start out at this match was not an apparent name.
Between then Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams scored solely 10 targets in LaLiga 2023/24. Alejandro Grimaldo scored that quantity alone from left wing-back for Bayer Leverkusen within the Bundesliga, but not like lots of his rival coaches on the Euros, De la Fuente opted for the gamers he thought would give his crew essentially the most steadiness and resisted the urge to shoehorn gamers in primarily based on membership type.
That meant Marc Cucurella somewhat than Grimaldo at left-back, one other huge name that the Spain boss obtained proper with the Chelsea man having an impressive match on the again of an underwhelming membership marketing campaign.
Whereas historical past teaches us that successful one match is not any assure of success two or 4 years later, it’s exhausting to not be left with the impression that Spain at the moment are in a extremely good place to go on and goal a second World Cup win in 2026, not least given the state of their principal European rivals this summer season who nearly with out exception underperformed and underwhelmed.
With Brazil in disarray and Argentina talisman Leo Messi set to be 39 by the point that match swings round, Spain have a proficient younger squad that ought to in principle be higher in two years time.
La Roja truly completed the ultimate of Euro 2024 with out arguably their finest three midfielders with Pedri and Gavi each already out injured, whereas Rodri had to get replaced on the break. With Dani Olmo displaying indicators that he’s now prepared for the “huge transfer” that has lengthy been touted and Lamine Yamal already trying like he could possibly be world soccer’s subsequent real famous person, Luis de la Fuente could have a humiliation of riches to work with when everyone seems to be match.
If something, this summer season’s triumph got here effectively forward of schedule and what comes subsequent could also be much more thrilling with a house World Cup additionally a part of the longer-term image. Ridiculously, Lamine Yamal will nonetheless solely be 22 when that match kicks off in 2030.
Whether or not the person now dubbed Don Luis de la Cuarta remains to be on the helm then stays to be seen, however the 63 12 months outdated has silenced all of his preliminary doubters and deserves a lot credit score for lastly lifting La Roja out of their put up golden period droop in essentially the most spectacular vogue in Germany.
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