Our selection, one of the most important in the world and you may not know it, one of the oldest. Football moves the masses and in the case of Spain it seems that it has prevailed since practically its origins. Let us see below what is the History of the Spanish National Soccer Team.
History of the Spanish Soccer Team
Spain It is one of the countries, along with other European countries such as England or Germany, and Latin American countries such as Brazil or Argentina, in which football has become a institution. This country is home to clubs such as Real Madrid, which was proclaimed “team of the century” by FIFA at the end of the 2000s, or FC Barcelona, considered for years to be the “unbeatable” team or the best team in the world. Also, also highlights our selection that although in its beginnings it may have had a less prominent role in terms of trophies, in recent years it has been able to reverse this situation until it is considered one of the teams that always start as favorites when it comes to playing a World Cup or an International Championship.
Origin of the Spanish National Team and first triumphs
The origins of football in Spain are due to the Englishwho introduce the first rudiments of soccer technique in the country. At the beginning of the 20th century, football carried out a rapid expansion in Spain: thanks, of course, to an excellent talent, but also to a series of encouraging results, as well as to the popular character that this sport has, which will later be used by the Franco regime for propaganda purposes. Spain’s international debut as a national team took place in 1920seven years after the foundation of the Federation, on the occasion of the Brussels Olympicsalso winning a promising silver medal. In 1929a year after the introduction of the National Professional Championship, Spain won a victory that could be worth the equivalent of a title, as it becomes the first non-British team to beat England (4-3) in a friendly match played in Madrid.
After these first feats, the greatest success in the history of Spanish football dates back to 1933when the National team wins 13-1 over Bulgaria. It seems like a promising premise for the 1934 Italian World Cup. Instead, in Italy, the Spanish, after eliminating Brazil, surrender to Vittorio Pozzo’s players, destined to win the first world title in a historic competition. At that moment, however, a very famous talent appears on the Spanish football scene, the goalkeeper Richard Zamora, the absolute protagonist of the few films of the time; His duels with Giuseppe Meazza are remembered. After that World Cup, the best ranking of all time is the fourth place in 1950 in the tournament held in Brazilwhere Spain wins all three matches in the first round.
Bad times for the National Team
However, despite these triumphs that the Spanish Soccer Team is having, the performance seems depressing: in two World Cups in a row, 1954 and 1958, Spain failed to qualify, while in 1962 in Chile and in 1966 in England they came out in the round of 16. In the South American tournament dominated and won by Brazil, the Spanish National Team tries to find its success by uniting Catalan and Real Madrid football: it brings together the soul of Barcelona, since it is signed as assistant to the Spanish coach Pablo Hernández Coronado to Helen Herrera (who had been Barcelona coach for three years) and takes Puskas (a Real Madrid player at the time) to the field; the result is a predictable failure in some respects: instead of collaborating with each other, the two sides end up at war.
Euro 1964
Upon returning from the disastrous Chilean expedition, it is decided to bet more on the national competition between teams (the regular League), but the truth is that the Spanish National Team gains strength again win the title of champion in Euro 1964. Home court advantage is only the first of the advantages exploited by the national team finally established according to orthodox tactical criteria. To guide it, in the field, with perfect geometric mastery, is Luisito Suarez, star of FC Barcelona, which Moratti later bought at a price of 120 million, a figure never before paid, to become the tireless architect of Inter’s game. Luis Suárez is the mind, while Amancio, born in Madrid, on the right is the executing arm: together they manage to take out the Spanish team. The final sequence of the tournament is overwhelming: in the semifinals, Spain eliminates the fearsome Hungary; In the final, in Madrid, against the USSR of the gigantic Yashin, Marcelino Martinezwas the author of the decisive goal six minutes from time, which proclaimed Spain as the great winner.
Change of coaches and the arrival of Kubala
The Spanish National Team has been marked not only by the desire to win titles, which as we can see was being achieved little by little, but it also seems that it has always been “victim” of a constant dance of coaches.
The series of substitutions on the bench of the national team in search of the right man knows his record between 1968 and 1969, when the four season games played by the “red fury” are anticipated by the change of coaches: Eduardo Toba, Luis Molowny and Salvador Artigas. Immediately afterwards, however, The coach who has coached the Spanish National Team for the most years, Ladislao Kubala, arrivesa Barcelona midfielder, a personality with a great temperament, who resists his position from October 1969 to June 1980. It has long been a kind of reference, a safe mooring even when memorable triumphs were not achieved and, in fact, it links its name to two unfortunate editions of the World Cup, Mexico 1970 and Germany 1974, in which Spain lacks the grade. His adventure ends sadly at the European Championship held in Italy in 1980: Spain reaches the quarterfinals after a happy start, 0-0 with the hosts, at San Siro. Also on this occasion, Real Madrid provided the raw material to create a team with a good technical level and great ambitions: right winger Juanito, with a great ability to dribble and fantasize, and striker Santillana, are the most authoritative protagonists.
The 1982 World Cup
Spain becomes the great protagonist being the country chosen to host the 1982 World Cup, but despite the effort and although it was a great host, the National Team, with José Santamaría as coach and a team made up of Arconada, Alonso, Alexanko, Tendillo, Gordillo and Camacho, Saura, Víctor, Satrústegui, Zamora and Quini could not make a good paper.
It was the first time that the World Cup had 24 teams in the competition, and although Spain started with hope and was able to qualify for the second phase, it ended up being eliminated after losing 2-1 against Germany and drawing 0-0 against England.
The National Team in the 1980s
With all hopes of looking good at the World Cup at home betrayed, Spain reared its head two years later in 1984when in the European Championship in Paris they beat Germany. After beating this team (and after the historic match against Malta in which they scored 11 goals), Spain qualifies to play the final losing against the French National Teamled by Michel Platini, by two goals to nil.
At that time, a promising generation of players began to form in Madrid, all signed up for Real, leading the national team to achieve some heartwarming results. known as the “fifth of the vulture” the group consists of the quick and agile Butragueñofor some years holder of the record for goals with the National Team (exactly 26, three more than the legendary Di Stefano), Chendo, defender on the right side, Sanchís, Martín Vázquez and Michel. Thanks to them, Spain offers a good performance in the 1986 World Cup in Mexicowhere it is eliminated against Belgium.
1992 Olympic gold and decline in the 1990s
Little by little, the Spanish National Team is consolidating itself as one of the most important on the field of play, but great triumphs are still resisting it, but those who were heirs to the “fifth of the vulture”, led by Guardiola and Luis Enrique, won gold at the 1992 Olympic Games football tournament, while in the 1994 World Cup surrendered to the beating of Roberto Baggio.
The goalkeeper’s farewell Zubizarreta (match record holder: 126) marks a melancholy hiatus within the 1998 French World Championship, and then at the 2002 World Cup, Spain was eliminated in the quarterfinals by South Koreathanks to questionable arbitration.
Champions of the European Championship in 2008
After being eliminated in the first phase of Euro 2004 and falling in the round of 16 during the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Spain licks its wounds and prepares and goes for it all, proclaiming itself winners of the 2008 European Championship after beating Germany.
Luis Aragones was the coach of the National Team in that feat that also led to the consecration of Iker Casillas as goalkeeper of the national team, in addition to being the national player most often called up (161 times) Xavi Hernandez who was chosen best player of the tournament, while David Villa with 4 goals he won the top scorer award.
World Cup in South Africa 2010
Spain had been crowned at Euro 2008, but the best was yet to come. The National team started as favorite in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the truth is that all the predictions were put in his favor. The “Red” won the Netherlands 1-0 in the final, after a goal by Andrés Iniesta with five minutes remaining in the second extra time.
In this way, Spain proclaims itself winner of the World Cup for the first time in its history.
European Championship 2012 and World Cups 2014 and 2018
Repeating that feat in South Africa has become Spain’s effort ever since. With Vicente del Bosque as coach, the “Red” plays the Eurocopa of 2012 where it is proclaimed winner for the second consecutive time, after beating Italy.
However, they did not have the same luck in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where it was eliminated after the group stage, as well as in the 2018 World Cup in Russia where she was eliminated in the round of 16.