SUPERLATIVE!
Spain display a masterclass performance to overwhelm Italy and successfully defend their title
Confetti rained and fireworks exploded as Spain held aloft the championship trophy of Europe. If Sunday’s 4-0 rout of Italy did not fully illustrate that La Roja were untouchable, even against its fiercest opponents, defender Sergio Ramos made celebrative passes on the field with a matador’s cape.
Spain put on a masterly performance with inspired and skewering passes, impenetrable defence and collective brilliance unsurpassed in this golden period of international football. Or perhaps ever. Criticism that their tiki-taka style was dull appeared silly, fatuous.
Some had doubted Spain’s frequent choice to play without a traditional striker, as coach Vicente Del Bosque preferred six midfielders. Everyone must complain about everything, Del Bosque had said, ignoring his critics.
On Sunday, his team attacked relentlessly and earned a victory that was as historic as it was dominant. Spain won their second consecutive European championship and third major title in a row, along with the 2010 World Cup. No team has held so many important tro- phies at once.
Befitting its unselfishness and depth, Spain’s four goals came from different players — David Silva in the 14th minute, Jordi Alba in the 41st, Fernando Torres in the 84th and Juan Mata in the 88th. For a 10th consecutive match in the knockout rounds, not a single goal was conceded. As usual, goalkeeper Iker Casillas was unfaltering. Now the debate will escalate — can Spain, with their attractive and generous style, rightfully be considered the greatest national team ever?
In various polls, the 1970 World Cup champion from Brazil, and their beautiful game played by Pelé, Carlos Alberto and Rivelino, have been widely considered No. 1. Some favor the Magnificent Magyars of Hungary in the early 1950s. Or the Total Football played by the Netherlands of the 1970s. Or the French team of Zinedine Zidane who won a World Cup in 1998 and a European title in 2000.
Spain will make their argument on the strength of its creativity, patience, resilience, underappreciated defense and commitment to the team over a period of years when solidarity might have fractured into arrogance and egotism.
The completeness of Spain’s victory could be found in the sad, shocked faces of the Italians, who had been assured in defence in this tournament and newly ambitious in attack. This is a nation that has won four World Cups. Italy dared to attack on Sunday, but their players grew weary chasing the ball, as all teams do against Spain. And when the Azzurri were reduced to 10 men after a hamstring injury felled Thiago Motta in the 61st minute, with the score at 0-2, a revival became impossible. “They completely dominated,” Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said. “They really have made history, and deservedly so. They’ve been playing terrific football for a number of years. In spite of the fact they don’t play with a traditional striker, they still cause a lot of problems.”
Prandelli’s plan for Sunday was to close space in central midfield and win the ball. But from the opening whistle, Spain appeared much sharper with its short, geometric passing game than it had against the high pressure of Portugal in the semifinals.
“What we do is difficult, but we make it look easy,” said Casillas. Not to mention historic.
— By arrangement with International Herald Tribune