Spain are the best team in Europe by some distance.
Like, 2,000 miles.
Last night, Spain v Poland started so vibrantly that it looked like the real thing.
A friendly in Murcia before the European champions flew down to South Africa.
Spain were full of ideas, pace and confidence, as European champions should be.
Pique, an elegant defender, Puyol, the best old warhorse in the business, Capdevila at left back, Arbeloa at right back, Iniesta and Xavi either side of Busquets, David Silva right, and David Villa poised on the shoulder of the last man, Xabi Alonso looking to hit him with a long pass.
Goal machine David Villa opened the scoring on 13 minutes when he knocked in Iniesta’s killer cross.
When Iniesta found Xavi’s little run with a clever lob, he set up David Silva for 2-0, and I was shouting : Play the final now ! These guys can beat Brazil ! (I got a bit carried away.)
After about 35 minutes, Iniesta came over to the touchline and spoke to a guy in a suit, who might have been the doctor. In 37, Pedro came on for him.
Half time score : 2-0.
When Xavi rolled a free-kick square, Xabi Alonso hit a tame sidefoot shot which deflected past Kuszczak. Jesus Navas had replaced Silva on the right wing and Fabregas, on for Xavi, exchanged passes with Pedro and hit a shot just over the bar.
Then came the moment I had been waiting for.
This was why I tuned into a stream with a Spanish commentary. And luckily it was a spiffing stream with great pictures.
Torres came on for Villa in 65 and when Pedro cut the ball back from the left, Torres buried the chance for 5-0, as if he had never been away. The manner in which Torres slotted that chance seemed to say : I do this six times a day in training.
When Torres got in and tried to flick the ball, it bounced against the keeper’s body and the rebound fell to Pedro, who clipped the ball up and over and into the net for 6-0. The kid’s first goal for Spain. He’s 22, a rookie at this level, so it will be interesting to see what Pedro can contribute.
Spain were different class. I wish you’d seen it.
I know Poland were feeble, I know you can only play as well as you’re allowed to play, but Spain would have beaten any side in Europe last night.
Their play was so positive, so varied. They can mix it up, hold the ball, change gears up and down, and a long pass can suddenly explode out of a sideways spell of keep-ball. It’s fabulous ensemble play, held together by huge passion and belief. If ever I saw a national team that knows what it’s doing, it’s Spain right now.
Yes, you say, but Poland didn’t even qualify. A fair point.
Spain’s veteran coach Vicente Del Bosque,who won all of his qualifying games, is the most laidback coach at this World Cup. He denies that Spain are favourites. Del Bosque says, “We are among the hopefuls.”
So they should be. He has a team of proven match-winners, plus talent in depth.
David Villa is a defender’s nightmare. When you play against him, you need help from the linesman – and your keeper. When he’s not offside, he buries a high percentage of his shots.
And Fernando Torres, with or without his peroxide mop, is an alpha-male gladiator who has played for Spain through all the age groups. Torres could finish up there with the all-time greats. He’s far better than Shearer or Lineker, and I actually I think he’s better than Batistuta.
Many years ago I was talking to Martin Tyler about Batistuta, the great Argentinian who played for Fiorentina.
“Is he the best centre forward since Van Basten?” I asked.
“His record says he is,” said Martin.
Gabriel Batistuta left Boca Juniors in 1991 and signed for Fiorentina and scored 168 goals in 269 games.
In 2000, Batistuta left Fiorentina to join Roma, then coached by Fabio Capello, who found that the striker was a leader as well as a physical presence and a deadly goalscorer. Capello told a friend, “I knew he would finish off chances. What I didn’t anticipate was how much he would become the leader of the team’s morale. In the dressing room, he goes around geeing up the others, you can see his will to win, feel it.”
That’s what you need. Is Torres one of those? I don’t know. Too soon to say.
Batistuta played for Argentina 78 times and scored 58 goals.
Fernando Torres is 26. How many caps do you think he has?
David Villa is 28 and has 56 caps. Torres is 26 and has 74. Surprised by that? I was. 74 caps at the age of 26 is a lot, isn’t it? Even for a prodigy.
But so far Torres has only been half as prolific as Batistuta for his national team. Where the Argentine scored a mind-boggling 58 in 78, the Spaniard has scored only 25 in 74.
However, Batigoal was usually the sole spearhead and always a bang!bang! centre forward who would shoot from any distance, any angle. He didn’t play 15 yards behind David Villa.
Can Spain win the World Cup for the first time?
It’ll take a very good team to beat them.
CONCLUSION : I really hope England don’t play Spain.