Spain’s abdication law which proposed the standing-aside of King Juan Carlos I after nearly four decades of rule was approved last month by 86% of the Spanish senate. The law was ceremoniously implemented today – the same day that Spain’s tiki taka tactics unceremoniously made way for the high-intensity counter-attacking paradigm espoused by Chile and others.
The stunning thing about Chile’s 2-0 victory over the World Champions was that it never looked in doubt. First-half goals from Eduardo Vargas and Charles Aranguiz made sure of Chile’s safe passage to the second round but aside from a shocking miss by Sergio Busquets, Spain never even looked like scoring. So mistaken about their omnipotence were they that they more closely resembled King Canute than the all-conquering Charles V (who, it should be pointed out, also abdicated). The European Roja were desperately passing backwards deep into extra-time to try and retain possession (and their reputation) as the hungry Chilean tide swept over them.
In April 2012, King Juan Carlos I sparked a national outrage for posing with a dead elephant on an extravagant hunting trip in Botswana while the country was mired in recession. For many Spaniards this symbolised the aloofness and detachment from more progressive national values. In the same month Chelsea, albeit in a style more cynical and defensive than that of Chile, overcame Barcelona’s short short-passing midfielders in the Champions League semi-final. The national team went on to win the European championship later on in the summer but the fallibility and judgement of footballing aristocrats Xavi, Iniesta et al, like that of the country’s first family, was exposed.
Two years later and Real Madrid’s counter-attacking did away with the new tiki taka specialists, Guardiola’s Bayern Munich, in the Champions League and Spain’s footballing reign is over. Over their two matches at Brazil 2014 they have looked complacent and played with a sense of entitlement – as if there could never be any legitimate alternative claims to their superlative tactics. But Chile were as organised and committed as you could ever expect a team to be. They fought for the ball savagely while Spain carelessly and uncharacteristically gave it away.
Prophesising the downfall of the Spanish national team after failing to win back-to-back World Cups is premature and a little short-sighted. The reign of Don Vincente and Saint Iker may be coming to an end but, unlike the royal family, Spain have numerous and able talent to adapt, refresh and reinvigorate the more popular of the two national institutions.
