DOHA, Qatar (Dispatches) — The Morocco players fell back on defense and patiently watched as Spain kept passing the ball around midfield during their round of 16 match at the World Cup. Side to side, from one Spanish player to another.
Pass after pass, Spain tried to find an opening through the Moroccan defense, but the Moroccans stayed committed, unwavering, patiently waiting with 11 men behind the ball in front of their goal.
The traditional “tiki-taka” ball-possession style allowed Spain to keep the ball during most of the match Tuesday, but not to get the goals it needed to keep its World Cup campaign alive, and the team lost 3-0 in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw in regulation and extra time to end its World Cup campaign.
It was the third time Spain failed to make it past the last 16 at the World Cup after winning its lone title in 2010, when Xavi and Andrés Iniesta were the leaders of the ball-possession style that amazed the soccer world.
Spain’s “tiki-taka” clearly hasn’t produced the results it once did, not on the international level or the club level with Barcelona, which was where it all started. Barcelona hasn’t won a Champions League since 2015, and was eliminated in the group stage of the top European club competition the last two seasons after Lionel Messi left and signed with Paris Saint-Germain.
Enrique Fired, De la Fuente Takes Over
Luis Enrique was sacked as Spain coach on Thursday after the team’s elimination under-21 manager Luis de la Fuente named as his replacement by the Spanish football federation (RFEF).
“The RFEF has chosen Luis de la Fuente as the new (Spain) coach,” RFEF said in a statement.
“The ... RFEF has delivered to the president a report in which it determined that a new project should start for the Spain national team, with the aim of continuing the growth achieved in recent years thanks to the work carried out by Luis Enrique (and the staff).
“Both the RFEF president Luis Rubiales and sports director, Jose Francisco Molina have informed Luis Enrique of the decision. The RFEF would like to thank Luis Enrique and his entire coaching staff for the work done in the last few years.”
The 52-year-old said after the Morocco match that he was to blame for the defeat. Luis Enrique, who was first appointed Spain coach in 2018, had a contract until the end of the year.