JOHANNESBURG// It was, admittedly, only against New Zealand, but still, there was a class and an authority to Spain's 5-0 victory on Sunday. It was not just the margin of the win, or the sense of control that was so striking, though, it was the feeling of a team who are continuing to develop.
At national level, the shelf-lives of the successful tend to be very short. By its very nature there is a haphazardness to international football: whereas clubs can plug gaps with signings, countries are stuck with what they've got, magnifying the impact of injuries or deficiencies in certain areas.
Only West Germany, in 1972 and 1974, and France in 1998 and 2000, have managed to win the European Championship and World Cup back to back, but it may be that this Spanish generation, already European champions, are yet to reach their peak.
Their unbeaten run stretches to 33 games, just two short of the record set by Brazil between 1993 and 1996. Some teams might be daunted by the pressure of maintaining such a run but, having cast off their reputation as underachievers, Spain seem to be thriving on it. If anything, they are getting better.
"After so many years of struggling," said Fernando Torres, "this is the moment of our fulfilment."
Although he scored the winner in the final, it should be remembered that Torres had been criticised at the Euros, with Spanish newspapers despairing of his lack of goals for the national team. His hat-trick in the first 18 minutes on Sunday was breath-taking, emphasising his claims to be the most complete striker in the world.
Each finish was clinical, but each was different - a curving clip from the edge of the box; a deft sidefoot, opening his foot to guide in a low cross; and a powerful and accurate header.
His Liverpool teammate, Albert Riera, who played a part in three of the goals, adds a directness. He may not necessarily be a better player than Valencia's David Silva, with whom he seems to be competing for a midfield berth, but his delivery from the left does provide another alternative.
Spain's close-passing can be mesmerising, and their excellence in maintaining possession underpins everything they do, but they also have the option of slinging in crosses for Torres.
The only potential problem might be in having two strikers of the class of Torres and David Villa, the top scorer at Euro 2008.
The trend in modern football is to play a single striker, something eight of the 16 teams at Euro 2008 started with, with a further three moving away from 4-4-2 over the course of the tournament.
Indeed, it is arguable that Spain played their best football in the final hour of the semi- final against Russia and in the final against Germany, after Villa had been injured and they had switched to a 4-1-4-1. There is evolution even within the front two. Whereas Villa was very much the main marksman in Euro 2008, with Torres operating as an auxiliary striker, almost as a superior target-man.
That relationship has now changed, with Torres the point striker and Villa operating off him.
That Villa is so comfortable dropping deep and pulling wide means he can function almost as a midfielder, but still, it may be that a side employing disciplined five-man midfield can upset Spain's rhythm.
That said, England under Fabio Capello play variant of 4-2-3-1, and they found themselves comprehensively outpassed in February's friendly in Seville.
If Spain are so good in possession that they can still dominate even when effectively a man down in midfield, that truly is a frightening prospect.
jwilson@thenational.ae
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6
Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm
Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km
Price: Dh375,000
On sale: now
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
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Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
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Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
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The biog
Born: near Sialkot, Pakistan, 1981
Profession: Driver
Family: wife, son (11), daughter (8)
Favourite drink: chai karak
Favourite place in Dubai: The neighbourhood of Khawaneej. “When I see the old houses over there, near the date palms, I can be reminded of my old times. If I don’t go down I cannot recall my old times.”
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if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes
The package
Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January
The info
Visit www.gokorea.co.uk
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
The five pillars of Islam
THE SPECS
Touareg Highline
Engine: 3.0-litre, V6
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 340hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh239,312
Zayed Sustainability Prize
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
Youth YouTuber Programme
The programme will be presented over two weeks and will cover the following topics:
- Learning, scripting, storytelling and basic shots
- Master on-camera presence and advanced script writing
- Beating the algorithm and reaching your core audience
SERIES INFO
Afghanistan v Zimbabwe, Abu Dhabi Sunshine Series
All matches at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Test series
1st Test: Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets
2nd Test: Wednesday, 10 March – Sunday, 14 March
Play starts at 9.30am
T20 series
1st T20I: Wednesday, 17 March
2nd T20I: Friday, 19 March
3rd T20I: Saturday, 20 March
TV
Supporters in the UAE can watch the matches on the Rabbithole channel on YouTube