Spain made winning Euro 2008 look decidedly easy, but a major tournament triumph does not come by accident. Here’s how Spain’s first big title in 44 years came about.
1. Game plan. Spain concentrated on doing what they do best, namely keeping the ball and letting their rivals exhaust themselves trying to win it back. It meant tough decisions for coach Luis Aragones, who left good, but less technically gifted footballers at home.
Aragones built his team around the creative talents who came up through the Barcelona youth teams—Xavi, Iniesta, and Fabregas—and stuck with them to the end.
2. Team spirit. This Spain team doesn’t believe in galacticos—stars who are bigger than the team itself. This wasn’t Ballack’s Germany, Beckham’s England, or Ronaldo’s Portugal.
This was Spain’s Spain. When asked why David Villa was left out for the game against Greece when the Valencia striker might have made all but certain of finishing as top scorer, Aragones said he wasn’t after individual awards, it was a collective trophy that he sought.
It’s the main reason why he left Raul at home.
3. Generosity. Players like Marco Senna ran their hearts out to let the more creative midfielders shine. Villa was the team’s first defender, and captain Iker Casillas invited everybody to his room to play cards at night. The collective was again above the individual.
4. Concentration. Spain made sure they were never distracted at this tournament. I didn’t seen a photo of any WAG and after reading British and Spanish newspapers every day of the tournament, the only reference to family and friends I have is the news of Casillas’s mother fainting in the penalty shoot-out against Italy. There was no circus surrounding the Spanish camp.
5. Bravery. Aragones didn’t hesitate to remove the likes of Torres, Xavi, Iniesta, and Fabregas when the team needed it. Torres complained in the first match and he was silenced.
6. International experience. Players such as Torres and Fabregas were decisive in the wins against Italy and Germany. The success they and other players have had in England helped the team shrug off Spain’s old inferiority complex.
7. Equilibrium. The team has been strong in all areas. Casillas and the defence were the heroes against Italy. The creative midfield beat Russia, with Xavi and Silva both scoring in the semi final. And it was the strikers, Torres and Villa, who sealed victory in the first and last matches.
All lines contributed. It was a triumph of the team and of team spirit.
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3 months ago
"Villa was the team’s first defender" how true.
from 3 months ago
He worked hard and tracked back quite often something in La Liga is not yet the norm...
Alby
3 months ago
Great read.
3 months ago
You mentioned it briefly, but Senna was truly the "team" player. He did his job for 90 minutes every game—except for when he didn't play against Greece—and never got any press for it because he didn't make slick passes or make sloppy tackles and get booked. He just controlled the game and let Cesc and Xavi conduct and control the games. It was a brilliant display.
We saw a Greece "team" win four years ago. But their focus was entirely at the back and on not conceding goals. Spain turned it around and showed that beautiful football can win.
Great article.
from 3 months ago
I said to S in his post about Senna... that it must be pointed out although great in our eyes we were very fortunate to see Senna this summer.
With the shenanigans that went on at Valencia, Aragonés was forced to opt for Marcos Senna and not David Albelda (something about which Aragonés was at first privately devastated)...
Dakota big thanks for the comment and discussion, isn't it a pleasure to write about the Spanish side, an inspiring story... from the way they played to the background politics they made me believe once again...
Alby
3 months ago
good read!
Spain deserved this trophy right from the begining... they were clearly the best team at the tournament and had the most consistent performance....
It's nice to see them take it for once... they always have so much promise, it was thier time!
3 months ago
Spain were from first to last the best team in the competition!
What a great read this was... Mainly the point about David Albelda who is another player who never gets the praise he deserves. I'm sure if he had been playing regularly last season he would have been Aragones' first name on the team sheet.
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