It has been over 6 years now since Spain won the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. That was the 2nd of three major titles that they won in a 6-year span. Fast forward to 6 years later and Spain has failed to win another major title. To go even further they have looked an absolute shell of themselves in recent tournaments. Spain came into Euro 2016 as the defending champions and they got eliminated after the round of 16 when they lost to Italy, a team that they trashed to win the tournament four years prior. That lost against Italy was their second in the tournament after they were beaten by Croatia in the group stages. It was the second major tournament running where they lost two games in the tournament after they did so in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. What has happened to that dominant Spanish team that was threatening to rewrite all the history books?
I think Spain reached their zenith in 2012 after they won their third successive major title. After 2012 Spain had two years to get themselves prepared for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. These two years were very crucial and it was the time for Spain to bring fourth a few youngsters to mix with the more experienced players. When Spain announced their squad for the FIFA World Cup, 18 of the 23 players that had won the Euros in 2012 were still in the squad. I know continuity is important but 18 of 23 was just too many. When you take into consideration that most of those 18 players had been with the squad since 2008 you realize that the squad is not evolving. Most of the players that were within the squad had past their prime and from the very beginning of the that tournament it was apparent that they would fail. The majority of the other teams in that tournament came with a youthful look while Spain stuck to their old guys.
Spain’s Gerard Pique, front left, gestures as he and his teammates leave the pitch after the Euro 2016 round of 16 defeat to Italy.
Spain failed to keep their more experienced players relevant by mixing them with some of their younger, brighter players. This lack of change in Spain’s squad caused their downfall in 2014 when they were humiliated by being knocked out at the group stage. In 2016 they are having the same problem, failure to integrate the youngsters. Throughout the European Championship, Spain relied only on players such as Iniesta, David Silva and Cesc Fabregas and they simply failed to deliver the goods. I wrote in my pre-tournament article that Spain’s over-reliance on these players will cost them greatly and it did.
Apart from Alvaro Morata, who I must add did his best at the tournament scoring three goals before Spain got knocked out, the other few young players that were included did not really get much opportunity to show what hey could do. Spain was constantly looking to the same players that had no answer two years ago in the FIFA World Cup.
In 2013 Spain won UEFA’s u-21 competition. I watched the finals of that tournament and I can still remember the pictures clear in my head. Thiago Alcantara scored a first half hat-trick in the game and Isco added another as Spain got the better of Italy 4-2. Three years later and only five of those 23 players who won that trophy managed to make Spain’s squad and of those 5 players only 2 played any significant role at the Euro’s for Spain. This again shows the lack of transition within the Spanish set up.
I am still baffled by Spain’s decision not to include Isco in their squad for the 2016 Euros. originally I thought that maybe it was becasue he hadn’t featured regularly for Real Madrid in the past campaign. However, when I looked at the squad and saw players like Pedro, I thought that the squad was picked on reputation, however, I could make the case that Isco is one of Spain’s most creative midfield player today. So if the squad was picked on reputation he would have certainly had a chance at making it.
Euro 2016 taught me a lot about some of the head coaches for the “big teams”. A lot of them did not know how to tactically affect the game; Spain’s Vicente Del Bosque was one such coach. In the game against Italy, the Italians came with a system that Spain was not used to and Vicente Del Bosque could not respond to this. In the 2012 European Championship finals Spain defeated Italy 4-0 and they did this by playing 75 mins without an out-n-out #9. I was impressed when Spain brought in Alvaro Morata to lead the line up front but I knew that Spain was not going to beat Italy playing with an out-n-out #9. I knew that Italy’s team was a bit different from the one from 2012 but something that had not changed was the defence. Vicente Del Bosque should have known this as well and switch his tactics to playing with a false #9 just as they did in 2012.
Where do they go from here?
Vicente Del Bosque has announced his resignation from the head coaching position and I think that is a good move. He has won it all on the world stage but his style of play is outdated so it is time for him to move on. They need a manager now that understands the game and knows how to relate to the players. Spain still has some quality players within their ranks it is just a matter of getting them together and motivated. Spain needs to move on from their over reliance on players such as Iniesta, David Silva, and Cesc Fabregas. They can still be included in the squad for their experience but they should not be playing any significant minutes.
Spain has to face the fact that they will probably have to go through another disappointment at a major tournament before they can get back on track. The fact that the squad has not really evolved over the past 8-10 years means that the players that should be leading them forward such as Isco, Koke, Thiago, Morata doesn’t have much tournament experience. Some of the players have been at major tournaments before but they have not played any significant minutes so they will still be practically in-experienced.
Spain will be in a group with Italy in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and this might not be good for Spain as only one team will be automatically qualified for the tournament in Russia 2018. I think if they get in a new coach as early as possible they might be able to beat Italy and win the group because Italy as well will have a new coach.
I am optimistic that Spain can get back to the top of world football but they have to change a few things.
Do you agree with my assessments? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
48-NINETY SPORTS 