What didn’t fall in place this world cup was the Spanish finishing. This left them with 8 goals, and my guess is that nobody has won it with that few over the tournament. Just as well too, if that hadn’t been the case there would have been many instances similar to the embarrassment that Germany dished out to Argentina.
The number of shots that Messi fired, at a comfortable waist high stopping height of goal keepers, makes me think that Messi was not a 100% tournament fit. At the grandest stage of them all, being quarter a foot further behind the ball than he should is all the difference there is between balls nestling in the bottom or top corners on one hand, and comfortable blocks on the other. Guess he played about 60 games over the season, and given the attention he gets, no big deal that he was indeed carrying some ‘niggle’. On the other hand, Iniesta missed a lot of the season for Barca, an ultimately heartbreaking one, but was sharp in SA and his performances telling.
What about gold? Along with Saint Iker, Victor Valdes and Pepe Reina are all in the 27 to 29 age range – giving the goalies a realistic chance of going to two more world cups.
While we may not see Capdevila, Puyol and Marchena (all 30 – 32) in Brazil, there are four other defensive players in this squad who will be between 27 and 30 next time around, in their prime. But, let us not forget that this is not an Italian back four – and hence might benefit from different personnel too. The Jose ambition to win it all at Real, with Real's heavy debt burden, might just lead to unearthing some Spanish defensive talent.
In the midfield, where Spain are scary and surreal, we don’t know if Xavi and Alonso are going to be preserved adequately (at Barca and Real, respectively) to be on song in 2014. But they have a chance, and they have the likes of Zidane to look up to when it comes to being world class midfielders till the mid thirties. If Cesc continues in the EPL, he might be a 27 year old with a 30 year old’s legs under him in four year’s time. Let us hope that doesn’t happen to him. Being at the Gunners should’ve helped him recover adequately for the world cup, and that might be one good reason for him to stay there. After all, Gunners don’t really compete for any big titles!
Upfront, if they manage to keep up, pretty much the same personnel could turn up next time around as well. Villa and more so, Torres, would want to add a bucket of goals to the winners’ medal.
Del Bosque, Saint Iker, Valdez, Iniesta, Xavi and Puyol all have nothing left to win. Eight of the playing eleven play for Barca (which for Spaniards must mean they came through the youth systems). Hopefully, there are unknown twelve to fourteen year olds knocking on those doors, just as we speak.
Overall, we got a glimpse of football that has evolved a notch - Spain leading the evolution. Two other semifinalists - Germany and Netherlands - appear to be attempting to get there. Maybe 4 or 5 years hence every one will play some flavor of this evolved game. Jose and Fergie, for all their winningness, haven't managed any evolutionary impact. That credit is firmly with Spain and Barcelona.
The high of the world cup will give way to the lesser sporting spectacles, most annoyingly the superlative ridden EPL. But just as it has been doing in the past, the Tour de France has been helping the detox by gently bringing us back to ‘bau’ (business as usual), while reminding that when it comes to grueling it rocks.
Shleck has been doing well at holding off Contador. We are well into the Pryennes (spelling?) and for the first time in more than twenty years, there are 3 continuous days of climbs and descents. This third day, it is said, is what brings the riders to hit the cycling 'wall'. Afer nicking the lead, Contador should be favorite. The Astana riders will keep up and much like the Spain and Barca midfield, try to show the world what hunting in a pack is all about. But Scheck's team, Saxo Bank, has Cancellera in the ranks and cannot be written off just yet. All in all, it should be a grand battle over this week culminating in Paris.
The Texan is somewhere in the pack too, and in a general sense, he has comeback from worse.
After Sunday, there will always be FC Barcelona (also deep in financial debt). No offence to Cruz, Vicky and Christina!
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