Today on Twitter I found a link to a graphic on a Spanish news website illustrating the 42 passes that led to Spain's first goal against Scotland on Tuesday night. Every single player, including the goalkeeper, touched the ball at least once. The Scottish players might as well have joined the Tartan Army in the crowd.
The fact that neither Cesc Fabregas nor Andres Iniesta were involved in the move shows the strength in depth that Spain possesses. Despite being without two of their best midfield players Spain are still able to display their 'tiki-taka' style of football. And with no compromise on quality. Almost every national team in the world would have to alter their approach to games without their most important midfield players, but then not every team is World and European champion. Spain play like Barcelona but the technique, composure on the ball and passing ability is emphasised far more in the education of youngsters in most of Spain. These qualities at youth level have been shown in the country's success in the U21 European Championship this summer.
On BBC Breakfast this morning, there was talk of a local authority ceasing to release the results of football matches at under 12 level. The general consensus seemed to be that this was a bad thing, that it was failing the children by preventing them from having to deal with victory and defeat, one person even claimed it was a symptom of Britain's 'Nanny' culture. But I think the point was missed entirely. The philosophy in the UK too often is to get the ball down the pitch as quickly as possible and just make sure it ends up in the net.
Never mind patient approach play, achieved through intense technical coaching, just lazily hoof the ball up to the strikers and hope for a lucky bounce of the ball or a defensive mistake. From a very early age, boys learn that goals are all that matters and it is therefore the case that it doesn't matter how you score, just that you do. The ends justify the means, supposedly. But this approach has limitations, best illustrated by the lack of success by England and the other home nations. If, like in Spain, young boys were brought up to focus more on passing, movement and patience then they might stand half a chance. Unfortunately, the British approach favours limited players so it's far easier not to adopt Spain's approach. What's more, British football fans also have this impatience ingrained into them. If a team passes the ball around for too long in their own half, or involve the keeper for more than a couple of touches, it is met with frustration and shouting to get the ball down the other end. What the Spanish seem to realise is that if your team has the ball, then the other team can't score.
I'm not suggesting that every club side should try to replicate Barcelona. Every team should play to its strengths, even if that means having to endure Stoke City narrowing their pitch to maximise the impact of long throws into the box. But I am suggesting that the FA, the FAW, the SFA and the IFA implement Spanish methods into the education of young footballers. Maybe then fewer teams would take the Stoke approach because British versions of players like Xavi, Fabregas and Iniesta would emerge.
A counter argument to this would be that it is harder to win football matches the Barcelona way. But I don't believe that the end always justifies the means. People remember most champions because of their results, but people will remember Barcelona and Spain because of what happened during an entire 90 minutes. That's why Spain will not be remembered as the lowest scoring World Champions in history, but as the most technically gifted and admired team for a generation. When Spain play football, it looks an easy game, but if it were an easy game, everyone would play like that.
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