La Roja set a historic milestone during their 3-0 victory over Croatia in Berlin as they showcased a notable change in style from previous tournaments
It's often said that modern football is increasingly homogeneous in a tactical sense. Yet, while it's true that the ease with which ideas can be shared has led to many teams' playing styles converging, there have been a few exceptions to the rule. In the international game, Spain had been one such case.
Following a lengthy spell in the footballing wilderness, La Roja rose to prominence in the mid-to-late 2000s, winning the Euros in 2008 and 2012, as well as the World Cup in 2010. Key to establishing this dominance was their possession-heavy style.
'Tiki-taka', as it would become known to the world – much to Pep Guardiola's chagrin – has its roots in Catalunya. You can trace it back to Johan Cruyff, but its most successful proponent was Guardiola. During the same period as Spain's incredible success, Pep's Barca were demolishing the club game, winning 14 of the 19 trophies available to them between 2008 and 2012.
And even after the silverware dried up more recently, following the retirement of their golden generation, La Roja have retained a fanatical devotion to possession-first football. That is, until very recently.
GettyHistorical turning point
Spain's 3-0 victory over Croatia in their Euro 2024 opener represented a significant milestone in the nation's footballing history. Much of the focus after the game was on Lamine Yamal, who marked becoming the youngest-ever player in European Championship history by setting up Dani Carvajal for his side's third goal.
But this was not the only thing that made the game momentous. For the first time since the Euro 2008 final against Germany, Spain had less possession than their opponents, ending a remarkable run of 136 matches.
There had been hint that this might happen. Before the game, Rodri spoke about the need for Spain to find alternative ways to win when their passing barrage isn't working. "We will play with the style that brings us a victory," he said. "I am not a guardian of any philosophy. You need to adapt and change against any team."
Manager Luis de la Fuente struck a similarly anti-tiki-taka tone at full-time, saying: "Maybe in other times, having more of the ball guaranteed better results," he said. "Now, we are a team that can surprise opponents like we did today. We are satisfied; I think we did well. We used the ball with a lot of sense and were clinical in the final third. It shows that you don't have to have so much of the ball if you're a team like us, with pace."
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLong time coming?
The process of Spain turning their backs on possession has a lot to do with De la Fuente's surprise ascent to the national team job in 2022. Luis Enrique had led the side at that year's World Cup, but after flying through a group-stage campaign that began with a 7-0 victory over Costa Rica, his charges would crash out in the last 16 to Morocco on penalties. This game provided the perfect fuel for tiki-taka's detractors.
Despite enjoying an incredible 77 percent of the possession and completing over 1,000 passes in Al Rayyan, Spain only mustered one shot on target in the entire 120 minutes. Strangely, Luis Enrique remained fairly upbeat post-match, concluding: "We could've created more and been more efficient, but I was happy with my team. They represent me and represent my style and I can only praise them."
His response spoke to his fervent belief in the Spanish possession style, but viewing things objectively, it's difficult to see how he could have possibly been satisfied. For large spells, Spain were keeping possession for possession's sake, with their lack of penetration resulting in a hugely underwhelming, early exit from the competition.
Getty ImagesStruggling for a new identity
De la Fuente's path from the disappointment of the 2022 World Cup to that emphatic Croatia victory has not been entirely smooth. During the early stages of his reign, he seemingly struggled to nail down an identity, using close to 50 players in his opening 10 matches. His second game in charge was also a damaging defeat to Scotland at Hampden Park, a result for which he received significant criticism.
There's been off-field problems too. In the wake of the Luis Rubiales scandal after the Women's World Cup final, he was seen applauding the disgraced RFEF president following his infamous "social assassination" speech. He did swiftly apologise, though there was pressure for him to stand down.
De la Fuente eventually weathered those storms and as his time at the helm has progressed, he's settled on a core group of players and a pragmatic style. It's not been as easy on the eye as previous iterations of the Spanish national team, but the public have been able to stomach this for several reasons.
Firstly, there is an acceptance that this is a team in transition. Tiki-tika's on-field driving forces, the likes of Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, have all stepped away from international action now, and there is a willingness to give a younger, less experienced generation time to find their feet. Yamal, Pedri and Gavi have all been given prominent roles under De la Fuente.
Secondly, it's been hard to argue with the results. Since that Scotland defeat, Spain failed to win just two of the 12 games leading into Euro 2024, a run which included an edgy, but ultimately satisfying UEFA Nations League triumph.
Getty ImagesNew stars are here
Spain's shift away from possession has also been accelerated by the emergence of fresh talent and the need to alter the team's approach to maximise their impact. The best example is Yamal. The ridiculously talented teenager is one of the best one-on-one dribblers around. To make the most of his directness, he needs to play in a system where he has the freedom to break rank and attempt to beat his opposite number.
The same applies to Nico Williams, who enjoyed a scintillating club campaign with Athletic Club last season, and played on the opposite flank against Croatia. In Spain teams of years gone by, those out wide, the likes of Pedro, Iniesta and David Silva in 2010, for example, were constantly drifting centrally to help circulate possession. Now, things are a lot more direct, with Spain's starting wingers attempting eight dribbles between them against Croatia.
The new-look front three is complemented by Alvaro Morata. There's not a whiff of false nine about the former Chelsea man. He stretches the defence, occupies defenders and wants to get into the box, as evidenced by the nine crosses Spain swung in against Croatia – one of which led to Carvajal's goal.
Morata's strike on Saturday, which made him the third-highest scorer in Euros history behind Michel Platini and Cristiano Ronaldo, was also proof that this more direct approach can work for Spain. He was set free by a pass from Fabian Ruiz that came from Spain's own half. During their golden era, it's likely the ball would have been circulated around the team twice before it finally ended up at Morata's feet.