Rotterdam (Netherlands) (EFE) League of Nations to a team that eleven years later is once again savoring success and once again left Luka Modric’s combative Croatia at the gates of glory.
The fifth title in the history of the Spanish team changed its recent history. The projects that collapsed from the penalty spot. Dreams of big dates that fell by the wayside. With impotence in the last two World Cups. With injustice against Italy in the last Eurocup. The coin fell on its heads this time for a group of players who revived the winning gene and responded with greatness to the highest demands in times of change.
A Spain in formation against a rolled Croatia. At the height of a great final and what a title desired by the two teams means. The impulse that Luis de la Fuente needed to give packaging to his figure; the culmination of the career of Luka Modric, who only lacks a trophy with his team. At 37 years old, knowing that his retirement was expected after the World Cup. But there is nothing more special for a Croatian than his patriotic feeling.
Modric leads an army of warriors that turns each game into a final battle. To defeat Croatia you have to be at their level of demand and dedication. And Spain was, with a competitive gene above a half definition style with De la Fuente. He has lost his seal with respect to Luis Enrique. It has gained variety with greater flexibility.
New bets of De la Fuente
Fabián’s appearance, ruling out what seemed untouchable in the fourth game, the Rodri-Mikel Merino couple, was Luis de la Fuente’s bet on the Croatian approach. The lines together invited the presence of a footballer with a good foot between the lines. Gavi guarantees the fight but the association increased with the entry of a player who increased the sense of possession.
Spain lacked fang until the final stretch, more daring from Yeremy Pino when I can face the winger and more appearances from Marco Asensio in the first act against an opponent who does not concede. It was the second and last novelty of the eleven, off at the start, from less to more in the game before the demand on one of those days in which the 10 must launch a cry for leadership. Modric tried, in command of the Croatian game, looking for the long pass to counterattacks when he could, to Perisic’s runs and Kramaric’s mobility above.
The intensity and hardness of the final prevented dangerous actions until wear and tear entered the scene. The biggest was born from a center by Fabián, and from an error, by the goalkeeper Livakovic who saved the post. Or from an overconfidence in getting the ball out, with Gavi’s mischief to steal and put together the shot close to the post. But Croatia plays slowly, feeling expert in overtime and limit situations. Up to eight in his last eleven knockout matches.
The matches have been long and he did not force himself when he felt secure in the newly released Spanish defense. With Laporte and Le Normand getting into tune. A single mistake behind his back that Laporte corrected in time avoiding Kramaric’s goal, deflecting his shot. Two shots from Perisic, insatiable in his climbs on the left, gave confidence to the firmness of Unai Simón.
Spain lacked to add imbalance and speed to the domain. When Jordi Alba put it in, he found Morata’s shot but an isolated action against the 4-1-4-1 set up by Croatia. Sealed and nearly impenetrable. He had to decide when to step forward for the title, aware of the risk he has against a Spain that handles the transition well. By doing so in the second act, the figure of Rodri grew, an expert in making sense of the plays with a single touch.
last tries
The match, full of equality, would be decided by a detail. Croatia looked for him with the insistence of Perisic, but Juranovic crossed his shot excessively. And Asensio had it in the same way, with the rise of another winger, Jordi Alba, but he did not need his header on the best occasion in Spain that could not find a rival goal. And that Rodri looked for the finishing touch to his unforgettable season with a distant shot that was around the goal and Asensio crossed it when Ansu increased the verticality.
They were moments in which Spain became deserving of the title. He ended up suffocating a Croatia that signed the extension. And he had it because Perisic saved Ansu’s goal from the mouth of the goal, with everything to score after the action of Alba and Mikel Merino. Again the changes worked for De la Fuente, his reading of a game that was in the last breath in Asensio’s right boot. Navas’s bounced pass crossed it and did not prevent added time.
Equal Overtime
A crazy season for the players, with a World Cup in winter, would end with an all-or-nothing extension. The terrain of the Croatian specialists who honor their resilience and draw strength out of nowhere to caress the victory. He allowed Majer to leave at speed and demand that Nacho, who had entered due to an injury to Le Normand, sign an action that saved the game and almost cost him his physique. Throwing himself with everything to avoid the shot at will.
With players stretched thin, each part of overtime went to one team. After Unai appeared before Brozovic, Spain prevailed against the environment. Dani Olmo, who reappeared, forgave two that would have avoided the lottery of penalties that had left so bad a recent memory for Spain. And Rodri, with another two shots, was one step away from repeating the role of hero in the City’s ‘Champions’ final.
There were no ways to avoid them and, on this occasion, to enjoy them. With the emotion of wasting the first chance to win, with the penalty missed by Laporte, but the final ecstasy with the prize for Carvajal who had a pending account with the decisive appointments of the selection. Croatia was again at the gates. Spain returns to reign eleven years later in which they dream that it will be the beginning of a new cycle of glory.
Rodri repeats as the best player in the final
Rodri Hernández was again chosen as the best man of the match and picked up the award for the most valuable player of the third edition of the League of Nations, in a streak of individual recognition that began with the Champions League final with Manchester City and that he has extended in the two games in Spain with which he closes the season.
After being named the best player in the semifinal, in which the Spanish team beat Italy, Rodri also received the award for the final and the tournament. In a great moment of form despite the season’s load of games, Rodri led Spain’s game, came close to scoring twice and did not miss his penalty in the final shootout.
- Datasheet:
- 0 – Croacia: Livakovic; Juranovic, Sutalo, Erlic, Perisic; Brozovic, Modric, Kovacic; Pasalic (Petkovic, m.61), Ivanusec (Vlasic, m.78) y Kramaric (Majer, m.91).
- 0 – Spain: Unai Simon; Jesus Navas (Carvajal, m.97), Le Normand (Nacho, m.78), Laporte, Jordi Alba; Rodri, Fabian (Mikel Merino, m.78), Gavi (Dani Elm, m.87); Marco Asensio, Yeremy Pino (Ansu Fati, 66) and Morata (Joselu, 66).
- Penalties: 1-0, Vlasic. 1-1, Joselu. 2-1, Brozovich. 2-2, Rodri. 3-2, Modric. 3-3, Mikel Merino. 3-3, Mayer misses. 3-4, Asensio. 4-4, Perisic. 4-4, Laporte misses. 4-4, Petkovic fails. 4-5, Carvajal.
- Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany). He warned Gavi (80), Nacho (96) and Rodri (97) for Spain; and Petkovic (91) by Croatia.
- Incidents: final of the third edition of the League of Nations, played in ‘De Kuip’, full, with 51,000 spectators in its stands, 6,000 Spaniards.
Roberto Morales