After the opening match, La Roja fans were particularly impressed with the performance of 16-year-old star Lamine Yamal, the flexibility and dexterity of Fabian Ruiz or the experience of Dani Carvajal. However, few people noticed that Spain showed a completely different face, when for the first time in 16 years, with 136 international matches since the EURO 2008 final, they had less ball possession than their opponents.
This new style was revealed by captain Rodri before the match: "When possession is no longer effective, we will find different approaches to the game to win. The team will play with any style and philosophy, as long as it brings victory. This is football and you need to adapt and change against any opponent."
Before the match against Croatia, the media did not pay attention to Rodri's statement because it was the usual "model" answer of the players. However, when the match against Croatia ended, the 27-year-old midfielder's shares were considered a revolutionary statement related to the playing style of the Spanish team over the years.
Remember at the 2022 World Cup, La Roja under Luis Enrique were considered the top candidate for the championship when they crushed Costa Rica 7-0 in the opening match. However, they were stopped in the round of 16 by Morocco in a match where they controlled the ball up to 77%, made more than 1,000 passes but only had 1 shot on target throughout 120 minutes.
Since the bitter defeat at the 2022 World Cup, the journey to breathe new life into La Roja's playing style under Luis de la Fuente has not been easy. The 62-year-old strategist was heavily criticized for testing up to 50 players in the first 10 matches, culminating in a 0-2 loss to Scotland in the EURO 2024 qualifiers. Only then did De la Fuente gradually gain support from home fans with impressive performances thanks to his new playing style.
At EURO 2024, the image of the Spanish team obsessed with ball control is no longer there. Instead, De la Fuente's army emphasizes pragmatism, taking advantage of long diagonal balls to the two wings for Lamine Yamal or Nico Williams to approach the goal as quickly as possible. 3 goals within 18 minutes against Croatia is the clearest proof of Spain's direct, fast and effective playing style, combining youth with experienced players.
In the past, La Roja wingers like Pedro, Andres Iniesta and David Silva tended to receive the ball and then move into central areas to circulate and maintain possession. However, under De la Fuente, the more direct and creative wingers like Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams have been given more direct play. According to statistics, Spain’s wingers completed eight dribbles in their opening game against Croatia.
However, Luis de la Fuente's play also revealed some flaws, after Spain took the initiative to slow down and concede possession to Croatia. Having to defend deep meant that La Roja's defense faced many situations where Croatia hit them in the middle. Croatia's strikers had at least 3 good situations when exploiting the gaps in front of Spain's 4-man defense - where Rodri had a relatively difficult day.
Source: https://laodong.vn/bong-da-quoc-te/tu-bo-tiki-taka-lieu-tay-ban-nha-co-the-vo-dich-euro-2024-1355401.ldo
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