To say Spain are boring is a great disservice. As Germany icon Jurgen Klinsmann pointed out on Friday, the reigning world and European champions could well be the “team of the century.” High praise to be sure, and not at all undeserved.
But are Spain loved? Are they compelling to the majority of football fans who will watch Sunday’s final without a rooting interest? Probably not, and therein lies their only shortcoming.
Spain are, without question, the team of the generation. They are good—so good that they ease through matches like robots following a programmed pattern. But robots don’t excite; they don’t inspire emotion, especially when they exhibit none of their own.
Italy are the complete opposite. They are the antithesis to the Spanish school of football where perfection is the one and only lesson. But perfection is boring. Italy aren’t perfect—not nearly—and they’re nothing close to boring, either.
Italy are emotive. They are Balotelli smashing a shot from 18 yards that he might have dribbled and caressed into the net; they are Cassano bullishly spinning off his marker and playing a perfect pass across the face of goal; they are the artistry of Pirlo and the bold, often boastful, prophecies of Buffon.
None of this makes Italy a winner, just as perfect football doesn’t make Spain a loser. But it does create a gripping match-up—one where the stereotypes of decades past have absolutely no meaning.
Spain are faultless and confident; Italy are arousing and unpredictable. Game on.
Five things you should know about the Euro 2012 final:
1) Spain’s last normal-time win over Italy was in March 2008. The one before that came in the quarterfinals at USA ’94. They also prevailed on penalties in the quarterfinals at Euro 2008.
2) Mario Balotelli has three goals coming into Sunday’s final—more than any other Italian player has ever scored at a single European Championship.
3) Spain have never lost when Fernando Torres has scored. The Chelsea striker has bagged 30 goals for his country and the reigning world and European champions are an incredible 21-1-0 when he has found the back of the net. The one draw—against Italy in 2004 the night Torres scored his first goal for his country.
4) Xavi Hernandez has attempted 533 passes at Euro 2012—more than any other player in the tournament. He has completed 455 of them for a success rate of 85 per cent. Seven of the top 10 passers at the competition are Spanish (Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Sergio Ramos, Andres Iniesta, Alvaro Arbeloa). Andrea Pirlo (3rd), Bastian Schweinsteiger (5th) and Philipp Lahm (8th) make up the numbers.
5) No international side has ever won three major tournaments in a row with a World Cup title as part of the hat-trick. West Germany came close in 1976 as the reigning world and European champions but were defeated on penalties by Czechoslovakia thanks to a cheeky Antonin Panenka chip that was recently replicated by Pirlo against England.
Follow Jerrad Peters on Twitter @peterssoccer
Ummm sorry to say but Spain didnt beat Italy in the 94 quarterfinals. That was the year they made it to the final and lost to brazil on penalties after baggio’s miss. They won 2-1, baggio got a late winner
Agreed…sorry Jerrad
spain didn’t beat italy at USA 94. shocking error
Spain are boring for me to watch. You can have your opinion as to what you want to watch, but I think that I’m not alone in saying that just because Spain are very good it does not make them interesting to watch. As you say, they are robots – and not remotely attack minded robots at that. I watch them play and I feel like going to sleep.
Now, I’m sure that Spain do not bore their own supporters. If I was Spanish then I would love this team, because it is fun to support a winning team.
However, for me, Spain are the most boring team I have ever watched play the game. All they do is pass the ball around in the midfield forever without any visible intention of going foreward. And as I said, i am not the only one. You could hear people of a like mind in the sdadium during the game against Portugal. The word I use to describe Spain is not smooth, fluid or perfect, it is COWARDLY. Taking chances, taking risks, that is interesting to watch. Not what I was seeing in the Portugal game, which was essentially the defense passing it around.
Thankfully though, portugal managed to break up their passing, and when they did, they showed Spain for what they are, which is weak and uncreative.
No matter, though, hopefully the barnstorming Itialians can show them how football is meant to be played. I look forward to it :)
First, about the article, it seems incomplete. Right when the argument is starting to build, it stops and there’s the 5 things to know about the final. Would be nice to see the ideas developed a bit so that it’s saying something more. Was the goal of the article to make it seem like the Italians play more attractive footy than the Spaniards?
Also, as for this comment above, I’m not normally one to say this sort of thing, but that’s a pretty stupid comment. How can you call Spain “weak” or “uncreative”?
All they ever do is pass the ball around without any visible intention of going forward? How do they manage shot attempts if they’re not going forward?
There’s being a critic, and then there’s being a biased fan who speaks out of hate.
And then there is England… the team which does the same thing… except they do it with long passes and they pass to the opponents instead.
Too bad you aren’t much of a fan of tactics and movement because Spain are second to none in that area. The way that they make runs to manipulate defences is something that shouldn’t be overlooked. Anyways, I don’t see what is so cowardly with using your strengths to win.
Oh, and Portugal didn’t even get a scoring chance the whole match, if you call that beating Spain than maybe you should read the rules again.
Everyone can tell you haven’t been watching football for too long because it was only 6 years ago that Italy played a hugely defensive brand of football which got them to a final
You get tired of seeing perfection? Take a notepad and learn from these midget geniuses. The Spanish play to WIN.
CALL THEM WHATEVER YOU WANT!!!! HAHAHAHA YOUR OPINIONS WILL NOT DETER HISTORY FROM OCCURING.
The Spanish realize that in the modern game, all it takes to lose is a bad call here, a penalty there and bam, you lose. They take the necessary risks to win the game. That’s it. Because that’s all matters.
If you want to see brainless soccer, with the ball being punted 50 yards every 5 seconds watch england. I BET THAT’S EXCITING!!!
My name is Rafael and I live in the state of Minas Gerais, in Brazil, and I have a blog about football so the gameefut.blogspot.com.br, access, has some nice information about Brazil and soccer games, if you need something you can send an e-mail too, rafaeljuniobarbosa@hotmail.com
If Spain had David Villa or a non-neutered Torres, neutral fans would like them fine. They have trouble scoring goals because they don’t have a good striking option to bang in the end product of their tiki-taka.
And the rhetorical question you use as a headline can be answered simply: no. Non-spanish fans hate this team. The crowd in the semi-final were amazing; I believe their booing influenced Spain into shooting early or being adventurous and thus giving up the ball.
Hahahaah you guys are so short sighted.
Teams HAVE TO TAKE RISKS TO TRY AND WIN GAMES IF THEY’RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO CONTROL THEIR OWN FATE EVERY GAME.
Spain don’t have to take risks, THEY’RE OPPONENTS HAVE TO.
“Spain are boring” hahahaha AND WHAT ABOUT THE TEAM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIELD THAT PARKS THE BUS, WORKS THEIR ASSES OF TO TRY AND GET THE BALL BUT CAN’T AND WHEN THEY DO CAN’T DO SHT WITH IT.
Spain have proven THERE IS A WAY TO DICTATE, DOMINATE AND GUARANTEE VICTORY.
HAHAHA I honestly can’t believe how short sighted you guys are. THEY’RE PLAYING WITHOUT A STRIKER!!!!!!!!!
You think germany, italy or ANY OTHER TEAM COULD SUCCEED, LET ALONE DOMINATE GAME AFTER GAME AFTER GAME WITHOUT A STRIKER????
OF COURSE they’re trying to go forward and score a goal. BUT THEY DON’T DO LIKE LIKE EVERY OTHER TEAM, WITH NO REGARD FOR LOSING IT. Spain will go for the kill, WHEN THEY’RE SURE THEY’LL GET IT.
SPAIN: Calculated Risks.
Rest of World: Dumb risk after dumb risk….deemed “exciting”
Watching Spain is like watching a grand chess master TOY WITH AN AMATEUR.
england is a poor man germany.
Defend well. Go forward as soon as possible with no regard for using your BRAIN, and try to score and leave yourself vulnerable. BUT WHO CARES??? IT’S EXCITING!!!!
germany just do it better…by scoring when they get to the other end. That’s it.
Didier, Spain are boring for neutrals and for the other side. I don’t mind being beaten by a better team but Spain are like robots. Pass-pass-pass-pass-run-goal.
You might like it but the tv companies will find that people turn the tv sets off when Spain play because it is dull to watch.
Considering the last three big finals Spain have won (2008 Euro, 2010 WorldCup and 2012 Euro), none of these games have been boring (at least for me). 2010 WorldCup final was specially exciting, Inesta’s goal was a big emotion for everyone I think.
Weather or not Spain is a boring team is not an important thing as the author clearly pointed, but I think the article is wrong at certain ideas. It’s like it was written by someone who sees only the surface of things.
The author needs to consider for example that Italy’s strategy was weak, very weak. They were the ones who didn’t propose a strong and successful game. They didn’t have a clear idea. Prandelli made a big mistake thinking about Thiago Motta as the right option considering how the game was at that moment. That’s why it was so easy for Spain.
To think that spanish player are robots without emotion is the weakest idea of the article because one of the most interesting thing about their game is the ability to share or change responsibilities. They are the unpredictable ones. That’s why their opponents are extremely cautious with them. Every spanish player has a strong a possibility to score. They don’t follow an specific idea, they don’t want to have an specific striking option, they move passing the ball waiting for the right moment, getting the enemy confuse. They are always creating chances, creating moments and spaces, each a every player has the ability to create. That’s why I think perfection is not the main issue for them. Teamwork fits better. They’re a system, an idea that goes beyond the narrow view of players as robots.
For a really big part of football fans the thing is not about to be entertained, is about to see good football. I’m not going to turn my TV off just because the game “seems” to be boring or not “exciting”.
well, I understand this was written before the big fink where we spaniards thrashed Italy like we would have trashed anyone. to me is clear what is going on… Spain may be a bit boring sometimes (only sometimes) especially to rivals and maybe some neutral who expect Spain should win 4-0 all the time… what is completely impossible. Spain “the art of winning”.. tha’s what what they do.. we don’t take chances… (as little as we possible can).. when teams like France or Portugal defend utterly , all their players on the back.. we can’t do other than play around and wait… we won’t go crazy (for the sake of spectacle) and conceive a goal that let us out… it’s nor worth it… we want (we know we can) win it all… so, when there is a team which wanna play openly.. like Germany, Holland or Italy.. then you have seen what happens…. If this was boxing… we are no the boxer who is so stung he doesn’t care about being beating cause he knows he can take it no matter what and then win… spain is a fine little boxer who will dance around the opponent.. tire him off… hit it sweetly and little by little beat him…. what else can I say ?? the ball is ours. I hope England improves.. I miss them.
How can you say spain plays like robots? Having a precious technical means be robot? do you know how difficvult is play like that? do yuo believe that if others team could play similar the did´nt di?
Spain has the result of teach the child football player for 20 years on Barcelona footbal school that the talent ant the technic is better thant streng. This means be robot.
If you only try to play with your friend on this stile you will realize how difficult is and how much talent requires.
Finnally, if your opponet put the BUS in front of your net, how can you use an striker?
What can you do? pass, pass, control, imagination, movement, speed, forced to move your opponent and wait for a minimun HOLE to pass de talent cross and goal.
That is boring or is just than can only do a team with this kind of opponents?
Have a nice day