Is this the demise of Tiki-Taka?

Maswood Alam Khan from Maryland, USA | Published: June 20, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

The golden days of "Tiki-Taka" seem to have been over! The era of Spanish national team under their manager Vicente del Bosque, which was quite famous for their short passes and quick movements, their possession of and needling the ball through a variety of channels penetrating the opposing defence, a style that earned the cute name "Tiki-Taka", has come to a tragic end, with great expectations turning into colossal frustrations.
Spain may have to invent a new style of supersonic attack as the recent counter-attacking football has taken over from "Tiki-Taka".
The world and double European champions who has reigned over the kingdom of football for six years has become the first team to leave the 2014 World Cup, knocked out of a major tournament for the first time in eight years.
Iker Casillas, the Spanish captain, who lifted the trophy four years ago, looked like a fatigued soldier or a funny clown. So frustrated was every spectator that one fan of Spain wryly remarked, "Casillas should now be put at the Puerta del Sol to sell lottery tickets after such performances".
One may imagine whether it was an ominous sign that abdication of Spanish King should coincide with elimination of Spanish Team from the World Cup! Spanish fans who have been upset are trying in vain to find a correlation between the two events. It may be mentioned that the reign of King Juan Carlos of Spain has come to an end after he has signed on Wednesday the bill formally abdicating in favour of his son, Prince Felipe.
On Wednesday, Spain has miserably failed, frustrating their fans who were, till the last moment of the game, eager to see them at least in the quarterfinal. With 2-0 defeat to Chile the defending champions are eliminated from the World Cup, though they will play with Australia in a game that is now largely meaningless for both sides.
Chile's victory guarantees its progression to the knockout round of 16. Now, Chile will play the Netherlands on Monday to decide which team will top Group B.
Eduardo Vargas opened the scoring for Chile against Spain in the 20th minute after an interchange down the right flank between Alexis SÃ¡nchez and Arturo Vidal. Charles ArÃ¡nguiz then cut the ball back, and Vargas kept his cool to round Iker Casillas and prod the ball home.
Before half time, ArÃ¡nguiz doubled Chile's lead after an error from Casillas, who could only punch a weak free kick from SÃ¡nchez back into the danger area. ArÃ¡nguiz took a touch and punted the ball into the back of the net.
Spain had long periods of possession, but created few clear-cut chances for either Diego Costa or his substitute Fernando Torres as Chile's high-tempo pressing smothered the Spanish midfield.
Spain was slow, old, and overconfident. There was no plan, no guts. Rather there was much arrogance. And they thought they were the greatest of all time!! Mistake after mistake and there was no creativity. New players like Diego Costa did contribute nothing.
The demise of Spain from the defending champions to the worst performing team will enter footballing history simply as a catastrophe! Spain's decline perhaps began when Barcelona was totally destroyed by Bayern in the semi-finals of last year's Champions League and Real Madrid was dispatched almost as badly by Dortmund, in the semi-finals as well. The football machine was starting to creak then, and the wheels have finally fallen off at this tournament.
The time has now arrived for passing the baton from the great champions of Spain to an emerging giant.
Now is the time to sing; "CHI CHI CHI LE LE LE! VIVA CHILE!" Chile played with the speed of a greased leopard. God knows what will happen if Chile goes on to win the World Cup!
maswood@hotmail.com