If tiki-taka was at the root of the reign in Spain from 2008-2012, it had other virtues too. For the first time players from mutually hostile regions were truly united under the Spanish flag. A whole generation of brilliantly coached players signed up to the quest to win a trophy for the first time since 1964. Only Italy and Brazil have won consecutive World Cups. The double-double was beyond this great team but you would hardly fear for Spanish football. Any country that can start such a vital game with Koke, Mata, Cazorla, Cesc Fabregas, Pique, Xavi and Juanfran on the bench is hardly impoverished. Among those not in Brazil were Jesus Navas, Thiago Alcantara and Isco. Spain’s talent factory is not closing down. It will be fire again just over its own border, at France 2016. Until then, 2008-2012 can rest in history as a gilded age in which international football was taken to a higher plane, especially in Poland in Ukraine, where Arsene Wenger accused the defending champions of “betraying their philosophy” by lapsing into conservatism in the run-up to the demolition of Italy. Like it or not, it looks like this World Cup edition might be the last for the golden age heroes that won 1 World Cup and 2 Euro, conquering German, Holland and Italy in the final matches. As the article suggested, the are new breed waiting. De Gea, Iker Munian, Isco, Morata may have their time to repeat this batchs success... For now, yes, this edition, Sepanyol is Sepanyur... instead of playing tiki-taka, they played teka-teki... telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/10910879/Spain-have-reached-end-of-an-era-but-their-gift-will-not-be-forgotten-they-forced-all-countries-to-raise-their-game.html
Posted on: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 09:18:21 +0000
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