Acting like his principal, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente waited patiently to get his hands on the world’s most prized sporting trophy. He didn’t rush, perhaps because he knew the trophy would be his and the wonderful band he assembled would be in contention for the next four years; Perhaps he was more attracted to the journey than the destination, or perhaps he knew that his team was not yet done accumulating trophies on the Federation mantle.
He and the rest of the world could see the news of a football dynasty that could rule the world for the next decade. The second Spanish dynasty of the century, and as artistic and delightful as the earlier iterations, the tiki-takians.
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The road to the crown was flawless, accelerating from a goalless draw against Cabo Verde to a remorseless demolition of a brilliant France, to a gentle teasing of the fight and bravery of the defending champions, Argentina. In his post-match presentation, de la Fuente emphasized “being faithful to our idea of football” without ever clarifying what that idea was. There is no clearly defined or discernible ideology here, as was the case with Tiki-Taka during his reign. Perhaps their idea is amorphous, too broad to pin down a specific action.
But their leitmotif is clear: reducing the variables of knockout football and making themselves near-invincible, wrapping themselves in invincibility. In order to completely eliminate the risks of the game, not by refraining from attacking the football and parking the bus, but by making sure that everything is in order, the shape and structure, like a freshly ironed suit, covered with scars and crumbs.
Spain’s leitmotif was clear: not by refraining from attacking the football and parking the bus, but by making sure everything was in order, to completely remove risk from the game. (AP Photo)
To kill the teams gently, to marinate them on a low flame, drain their hopes drip by drip. This is the most brutal killing, because they do not consider any chance of survival. They didn’t create thrillers, because their game is based on such precision that they avoid wild fluctuations. They are never in trouble, because their vision is not to wait for one but to avoid it altogether, mobility and thought in pressing, passing and clarity in position.
If their backline is impenetrable, the midfield is unbreakable and the forward line is impregnable when in full flow. The level of sustained concentration required to defend against them, attack them or overcome their midfield is almost indescribable. They were defended by Cristiano Ronaldo, Kevin De Bruyne, Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Lionel Messi. Their backline has only been breached once in the entire tournament. Only 43 shots have been attempted against them. The midfield outclassed all and sundry; The pack of forwards took turns. Goals sprung up everywhere, they had seven different goalies. Each match had a different hero, yet with little ego or arrogance. They cannot be defeated mentally, physically or tactically.
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A trivial argument can be made that they don’t thrill, their playing doesn’t flourish, more opera than heavy metal, even with a happy spirit like Yamal. The truth is that they are so evolved that they don’t need any theatrics or showmanship to assert their dominance. They will be celebrated as a team that engaged the brain more than the soul, pleasing the connoisseur rather than the common man.
Argentina’s Valentin Barco (8) defends as Spain’s Pau Cubarsi looks for the ball during the World Cup final. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Look closely, and there is beauty in their every move. Danny Olmo’s half-turn, Yamal’s torqued first touch, Pau Cubbery’s beautiful pass-reading, his nimble, nimble passing pattern, his beautiful control of emotion, the essential composure (if any) in crunch time, the geometric passing style are Euclid to the manager.
More interesting teams can be more romantic teams. But maybe not more perfect. As perfect as the Tiki-Taka era, when they collected three trophies in four years. De la Fuente’s group could match him, even surpass him and turn him into a football dynasty. The nucleus is still young, with an average age of 26.2. Yamal and Qubarsi were two of the most important cogs in the 19-year-olds’ title win. They were able to dominate football for a decade with more talent drawn from the vibrant youth academies of Barcelona, Atlético, Villarreal and Real Madrid (despite not having a single Madrid player in the squad).
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If the 2008-12 vintage, the team that modernized the game, had Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta as the two passing masters, De la Fuente’s batch had the inimitable Rodri, the heartbeat of the team. His blocking of Messi was a defensive masterclass. Messi turned him on once early, but then Rodri pushed him into an airless chamber, suffocating him like a boa constrictor, tightening his grip on the greatest player of all time and making it harder and harder to breathe. If Javi and Co. were pass-masters, Rodri and friends are space-masters. He is as exemplary in his words as in his actions. “I want the new generations to see my example as an opportunity – when you go down, you can get up again. This has been my philosophy all my life,” he said after the game. His advice to his players was simple: “We need to face them. We need to look them in the eye. We will win this game and then life will give you the World Cup or not.”
In every sense, they can make a compelling case for being one of the greatest teams of all time. There is no doubt that the debate will escalate. 1970s Brazil is a romantic ideal. Or the French dazzlers under Zinedine Zidane. Or Spain’s own golden generation. De la Fuente’s men rightfully belong in that pantheon of greats, with the sheer efficiency with which they reduced the variables of knockout football and made themselves near-invincible. And their era is nearing its end.