Spain, the world champions and double European Championship winners, endured the ignominy of becoming one the first teams to exit the 2014 Fifa World Cup, beaten 2-0 by Chile in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday night.
Vicente del Bosque’s side, thrashed 5-1 by the Netherlands in the opening Group B fixture, went into the match at the Maracana knowing they simply had to avoid defeat to maintain their grip on the trophy, but were resoundingly beaten. Here, we look at three pointers from the encounter.
Final nail driven into this Spain’s coffin; Xavi’s omission confirmed an era ended
'Adios Spana'. The translation was wrong, but the sentiment wasn't. Captured by a worldwide television audience, the Brazilian fan that gloated and greeted the final whistle at Rio's Maracana was perhaps more profound than intended. Yes, Spain were all-out gone from the tournament, fingers pried from the ultimate prize in their penultimate group match. But this was something more than a simple elimination; this seemed an execution. The great Spanish conquerors of the past six years had themselves been crushed.
The problems stretch long into the past, but once Xavi Hernandez was dropped from the starting line-up in a tournament for the first time since euro 2008, it felt symbolic. The team’s emblem, the heartbeat to one of the finest group of players the game has witnessed, could no longer form that function. At 34 and with an apparent transfer to Qatar close to completion, Xavi will not be back. With 133 caps and a medal collection largely unrivalled, he will be gone but not forgotten.
Trusted lieutenants should follow suit. Iker Casillas has performed a similarly important role with his national team, but Spain’s captain has declined, deteriorated to such an extent that he is unrecognisable to the goalkeeper who could for years claim to be the world’s finest. It is time for a change, with Manchester United’s David de Gea the most obvious successor.
Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and David Villa: excellent servants to their country, but no longer good enough to serve a team who should still be challenging for major trophies. As Spain begin the inquisition, and seek to infuse an already talented squad with exciting young talent, those who delivered three consecutive tournaments between 2008 and 2012 must be remembered not for Brazil 2014, but everything that went before it.
The attractive Chileans should be everyone’s second favourite team
It took Chile only 14 minutes against Australia in their Group B opener to confirm the pre-tournament conjecture. On Wednesday night, with opponents Spain supposedly set to react to their 5-1 drubbing by the Netherlands, Chile required a minute and a half to set the tone. Eighteen minutes later, they were 1-0 up. By half time, Spain were heading for an unlikely exit and Chile were fast becoming the tournament’s most likeable side.
In the build-up to the World Cup, many had tipped Chile to excel, and they have scintillated in attack. Granted, Australia provided a stern test, and Spain enjoyed a lot of the ball as they attempted to get back into the game, but there is something undeniably captivating about the South Americans.
From the fans who have descended on Brazil in their droves, and provided a lively soundtrack throughout, to the national anthem belted out long after the music had stopped at the Maracana, to the jack-in-the-box Jorge Sampaoli on the sidelines — Chile bewitch. Swarming around their rivals on the pitch, they carry significant sting in attack, too.
Sampaoli is the architect, a visionist committed to extracting everything from his players. But in Alexis Sanchez, Eduardo Vargas, Arturo Vidal and, against Spain, Charles Aranguiz, they possess real quality. Meanwhile, Chile’s back three is made up of two midfielders – Gary Medel and Francisco Silva – who were relegated with their clubs last season; Gonzalo Jara was recently released by Nottingham Forest. If that doesn’t make them even more endearing, you either have a heart of stone, or carry a Spanish passport.
The decision to take Diego Costa backfired spectacularly
Injured one month before the World Cup, and then again during the Uefa Champions League final, Del Bosque’s inclusion of the Atletico Madrid striker was a risk that proved ill-advised. Costa was booed throughout his two appearances in Brazil – the Lagarto-born forward is viewed as a defector, having swapped the Selecao for La Roja – and did little to silence his critics.
In 126 minutes of action, Costa apparently touched the ball 21 times. He looked well off the pace, understandable given he was diagnosed on May 27 with a muscle tear in his right leg.
Costa is unquestionably talented – he scored 36 goals in all competitions for Atletico last season – but he obviously arrived in Brazil severely undercooked. Rarely does a player struggling for fitness light up the finals as it is hoped, and Costa’s insipid display perhaps sounded a note of caution among Chelsea fans. He is expected to wrap up a big-money move to the English Premier League anytime now. Considering the system Jose Mourinho employs, Costa appears the perfect fit. For Spain at this World Cup, he seemed shoehorned into the side. He should come good in time, but for now he is the gamble that simply did not pay off.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
