Spain’s passing is now past
Add this to your book of Russian proverbs: He who only passes is passed. Mighty Spain dominated the field at Luzhniki Stadium, dulled the senses with mind-numbing ball movement around the perimetre of the penalty area yesterday.
It was the classic “tiki-taka” style that led to a World Cup title in 2010, bookended by a pair of European Championships. The Spaniards would pass a team into confusion and then strike.
But this time, they just passed side to side, sometimes backwards, almost never to attack.
Possession football appears to be a relic. Russia won a World Cup knockout game for the first time since the Soviet Union in 1966, defeating Spain 4-3 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie . Russia goes to the quarter-finals against Croatia, while Spain goes home.
“Everything is changing,” Spain coach Fernando Hierro said through a translator. “Trends change.”
Spain made 1,137 passes and completed 1,029, according to FIFA. Stat company Opta said that was the most since it started keeping track in 1966.
In contrast, Russia has completed the same number of passes - 1,029 - in four matches at the World Cup. Russia got the victory Sunday making 202 of 285 passes.
FIRST-ROUND ELIMINATION
Russian coach Stanislav Cherchesov used a five-man defensive back line for the first time in this World Cup. Asked why, he thought back to the 2008 European Championship, where Russia lost to Spain 4-1 in its opener and 3-0 in the semifinals.
Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez were the twin hearts of Spain’s rise, offensive metronomes who elevated tiki-taka to supremacy at Barcelona and Spain. Hernandez is 38 and left the national team after Spain’s first-round elimination in 2014. Iniesta, 34, said this defeat was his finale.
“What’s important is to find the route to success, which is not easy,” he said. “It is more complicated than what it seems. The national team will push ahead because it still has players of quality and that’s what they need to try.”
Pique is 31 and Ramos 32, the last mainstays of Spain’s era of greatness. To rise again, the Spanish will have to evolve.