The Spanish Football team was an underachiever for many years in the World Cup and other international competitions. But after 2000, the Spanish team became the Spanish Armada in the football world. How did this nation suddenly become a resurgent team? What transformed it? We do not know. The Spain team has been in existence since the year 1920. During the Spanish Civil War, this team could not participate in the World Cup.
But now it is a revelation. In 2008, Spain became European champion, in 2010 became world champion, and again in 2012 became European champion. And now in 2024, Spain became European champion. What is the secret of this success? It is inexplicable. Probably the success is due to the intelligence of the football managers (coaches). They control the game off the field. Del Bosque was the Spanish manager at the time of the 2010 World Cup. He invented the tiki-taka style—short passes-possession football. Keep the ball-stand on the ball. On the eve of the World Cup Final 2010, between Spain and the Netherlands, the former Dutch player Johan Cruyff, the inventor of total football, said:
“I am a Dutchman. But I like the football Spain is playing.”
That means he admired football, not his own nation. This is a good attitude. Really, Spain was playing marvelous football. Of course, they were not playing total football, in which there are no orthodox defenders. Every player plays in every position. Total football was a novelty as well as a bone of contention. Not every team can play it. Every player has to be a competent player. Total football is a dying art now. In villages, we were playing total football unknowingly. In Kalapathar High School, in Sonepur District of Odisha, the PET master was playing in defense. But he was an attacking sweeper like Franz Beckenbauer of West Germany. Kalapathar PET was a tall man like Beckenbauer. When he got the ball, he went up front through the middle of the field with the ball. His younger brother was a striker in the same team. One is unfortunate who has not seen Kalapathar PET play on the field. I have seen him twice on the field. He was an innovative player. The Dutch defender Ruud Krol said:
“Football is not an art. But there is an art in playing football.”
Spain is not playing total football. Still, it is an outstanding team at present. In this Euro 2024, Spain beat Croatia, Italy, Germany, France, and England. It is easier said than done. The beaten teams are world-class teams. But Spain has put the fear of God in them.
Spain is a cohesive team. Every player has depth. A technically perfect team. Players deliver at the right time. Pragmatism is there in the team. But one thing may be said here—unlike Holland, Spain is not an unfortunate team. Success is roaming in and around the team of Spain. The Spanish Golden boys like Lamine Yamal will be running on the field in the coming World Cup 2026.
(The views expressed are the writer’s own.)
Radhakanta Seth is an Income tax officer in Sambalpur. He is a Freelance writer and his articles have been published in some Oriya dailies like Sambad, Samaj, Dharitri and English dailies like The Telegraph and in a sociological journal ‘Folklore’ published from Kolka