By Matt Anderson
Spain's dominating Euro 2012 win confirmed that we've witnessed the greatest international football team ever.
I need to preface this piece with an admission of bias: As an ardent supporter of FC Barcelona, I am a huge Spain fan, since most of Barca’s players play for La Roja. That being said, and understanding the impulse to anoint everything in our lifetime the “greatest ever,” we have just witnessed the greatest international football squad ever. Spain just won its second straight European Championship, sandwiching a World Cup title in between for good measure. No team before them has repeated as Euro champions, or won three straight major tournaments.
In truth, Spain have been the best in the world since 2008, toppling many records along the way. No team has scored on them in a knockout round since France at the 2006 World Cup (more than 16 hours of football, for those keeping track). After allowing a goal against Italy in the opening match of this tournament, they didn’t concede again, shattering not only the record for scoreless minutes played (well over 500), but also record for fewest goals allowed in the Euro Championship (formerly 3, now 1).
I need to preface this piece with an admission of bias: As an ardent supporter of FC Barcelona, I am a huge Spain fan, since most of Barca’s players play for La Roja. That being said, and understanding the impulse to anoint everything in our lifetime the “greatest ever,” we have just witnessed the greatest international football squad ever. Spain just won its second straight European Championship, sandwiching a World Cup title in between for good measure. No team before them has repeated as Euro champions, or won three straight major tournaments.
In truth, Spain have been the best in the world since 2008, toppling many records along the way. No team has scored on them in a knockout round since France at the 2006 World Cup (more than 16 hours of football, for those keeping track). After allowing a goal against Italy in the opening match of this tournament, they didn’t concede again, shattering not only the record for scoreless minutes played (well over 500), but also record for fewest goals allowed in the Euro Championship (formerly 3, now 1).
Contrary to popular belief, Spain get it done at the offensive end as well. Fernando Torres won the Golden Boot with three goals and one assist, benefiting from the tiebreaker of fewest minutes played to snatch the top-scorer title away from from Germany’s Mario Gomez. And as a team, La Roja were ruthless in pulling apart an Italian team known for its defense.
This past week was especially indicative of just how good Spain is compared to its biggest rival, Germany. In their semi-final match against Portugal, Spain faced a team determined to frustrate them by disrupting their metronome-like passing with fouls and feigned injury. Yet Spain stayed calm, persevered and found a way to win in penalties.
Compare that performance to Germany’s against Italy. Germany controlled the game early on, while the Italians were content to revert to their old form of stout defense and opportunistic counter attacks. The tightly packed Italian defense frustrated Germany. They began to force passes, providing Italy with chances to turn the tables and go on the offensive. Italy capitalized, and won more easily than the 2-1 score might have indicated. Germany couldn’t handle things not going exactly as planned; Spain could. Spain has trophies; Germany doesn’t.
Spain displayed that ability to adapt early on in the Euro final. They surprisingly did not enjoy a majority of the possession in the first half. But instead of forcing their traditional style onto the match, they took advantage of its natural flow. Spain upped their tempo when in possession, throwing the Italian defense off-kilter, an approach that paid off when Xavi threaded an inch-perfect ball to Jordi Alba. A defender on a blazing run from deep in his own half, Alba took the pass with only keeper Gigi Buffon to beat. The finish was clinical, and provided Spain with an adequate cushion.
Spain displayed that ability to adapt early on in the Euro final. They surprisingly did not enjoy a majority of the possession in the first half. But instead of forcing their traditional style onto the match, they took advantage of its natural flow. Spain upped their tempo when in possession, throwing the Italian defense off-kilter, an approach that paid off when Xavi threaded an inch-perfect ball to Jordi Alba. A defender on a blazing run from deep in his own half, Alba took the pass with only keeper Gigi Buffon to beat. The finish was clinical, and provided Spain with an adequate cushion.
The Spanish did benefit from two injuries that left Italy with 10 men for the final 30 minutes, but by then they had long outclassed their opponent. Their passing and movement had Italy spinning, and Spain's midfielders routinely found space by maneuvering their way out of double and triple teams. By the end, Spain had set a new record for margin of victory, thanks to final goals that looked eerily similar to their second one: perfect through balls leaving the defenders baffled and the keeper on an island. It’s as if they heard all of the critics calling them boring and used the final as a big “eff you” reminder of just how devastating their “death by a thousand passes” game can be.
In their last two games, we saw two different Spains: one with nothing going their way, one with everything going their way. It didn’t matter, the results were the same. The hallmark of a true champion is gutting out a win when things aren’t easy and punishing opponents when they are, and Spain did just that.
In their last two games, we saw two different Spains: one with nothing going their way, one with everything going their way. It didn’t matter, the results were the same. The hallmark of a true champion is gutting out a win when things aren’t easy and punishing opponents when they are, and Spain did just that.
The question now is how long this can continue. Historically, European teams don’t win World Cups held in South America. Yet, as this Spanish team has shown, history means nothing to them unless they are writing it.
Matt Anderson is Began in '96's Richmond correspondent. He also writes about sports here, when he's not keeping track of the bro-est Olympians on the planet.
1 comments:
Well done Spain proving its superiority in Euro 2012 beyond doubt not only thrashed Italy but also has its name in elite group by winning all major titles in a row.
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