Spain have emerged as one of the standout teams at Euro 2024 after seemingly abandoning their tiki-taka cult of the past under Luis de la Fuente. They were not favourites before the tournament began, but by the end of the group stage, La Roja had emerged as a candidate with character.
They came through the “group of death” and were the only team to win all their games and not concede a goal, Luis de la Fuente’s side looked sharp. They reminded us who they are, perhaps forgetting that they only missed out on a place in the Euro 2020 finals because they lost on penalties to eventual champions Italy.
The problem is that expectations were naturally low for Spain ahead of the tournament, despite the fact that they won the UEFA Nations League last year. It was simply accepted that they were a team in transition since De la Fuente replaced Luis Enrique after a disappointing 2022 World Cup campaign. With a coach who specialises in youth football, and a team with few big stars, it was understandable that they would be overlooked.
It is true that Spain are almost entirely new. De la Fuente's side are less bound by the ideals of 'tiki-taka', the possession-based approach that brought much of their 'golden generation' success but has become a burden for subsequent generations.
There were signs of a move away from tiki-taka long ago at the 2014 World Cup, with coach Vicente del Bosque insisting Spain were trying to play more directly, through the presence of a diminutive striker like Diego Costa in the team. “Football is not just about short passes. Long balls are also important and have a certain depth,” Del Bosque said in March 2014.
But how far have they actually come? Del Bosque’s successor, Julen Lopetegui, wants his players to be comfortable without the ball but still demands that they “dominate every aspect of the game”. Robert Moreno, who briefly took charge under Luis Enrique, seemed keen to move away from a reliance on possession and empower counter-attacks and quick transitions, but he was sacked when his predecessor returned from a period of grief following the death of his nine-year-old daughter.
Then, in Luis Enrique’s second spell, it could even be said that Spain were getting closer to the old tiki-taka than ever. But the results were not as expected. Spain made 1,058 passes in their shock 2-1 defeat to Japan at Qatar 2022 and 1,019 against Morocco, and were eliminated on penalties after managing just one shot on target in 120 minutes.
For many, that's the problem. De la Fuente's versatility has solved that problem and is paying off right now.
That’s not to say De la Fuente has completely abandoned the desire for control that has been so integral to Spain. It’s not easy to change habits. Before Euro 2024, they had gone 136 consecutive games – dating back to the Euro 2008 final – with more possession than their opponents. But Fuente’s Spain are a more adaptable, direct and agile system. They still have the technical ability to keep the ball, but the pace and one-on-one talent of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams on the flanks are among the team’s greatest assets. In the 1-0 win over Italy, for example, the pair attempted a combined 17 dribbles.
Spain's average possession of 54.4% at Euro 2024 is their lowest at a major tournament since the 2002 World Cup (52.6%). That's a huge change, especially compared to their last three campaigns: 77% at Qatar 2022, 72.5% at Euro 2020 and 74.7% at Russia 2018.
The highlight was an unusually low possession figure against Croatia: 46.7%, which officially ended Spain’s streak of 136 games, 16 years, with at least 50% possession. Surprisingly, it had no consequences as Spain won 3-0. In the second match against Italy, the figure was 57.1%, but that was due to Italy’s lackluster play rather than Spain’s deliberate possession. This could be repeated against Georgia this weekend, simply because their opponents will play defensively and concede the ball.
At home, striker Fernando Torres compares the current team to 2008, when Spain won the title and ushered in the era of tiki-taka dominance: “There are similarities, such as the fact that the two teams entered the tournament without much credit, both in terms of players and coaches. Then, as the tournament progressed, excitement flooded the country, with fans and the media.”
Actually, there is a difference, because if Spain win Euro 2024 now, they can finally free themselves from their tiki-taka shackles.
HO VIET
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/rot-cuc-thi-tay-ban-nha-co-thoat-khoi-xieng-xich-tiki-taka-khong-post746990.html
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