Viva Espana, that was a victory for the beautiful game

The Celtic Star

·15 July 2024

Viva Espana, that was a victory for the beautiful game

Viva Espana, a win for football. All national sides and top clubs should take note, including Celtic

Euro 2024 last night reached its conclusion and it had a worthy winner in Spain, beating England in the final being the icing on the cake.

Spain were the only big nation to actually play the game the proper way. Fast and attacking football led to them winning each one of their seven games scoring 15 goals in the process. In their qualifying campaign Spain lost just once and in the finals in Germany they won every match making them worthy winners.

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And of course it also means that Scotland’s 2-0 victory over Spain at Hampden Park in the qualifiers turned out to be a result that the English could only dream about!

Spain’s two wide players Nico Williams and the supremely gifted Lamine Yamal are a throwback to the old fashioned winger who liked to take players on and entertain. While their full backs constantly join them in attack, aided by a talented midfield who’s only thought was to go forward further adding to their threat. They were a joy to watch.

Lamine Yamal of Spain celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 Semi-Final match between Spain and France at Munich Football Arena on July 09, 2024 (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The fact that Spain were the only nation to try and play football was not only a disappointment, but a bit of a worry moving forward where the beautiful game is concerned.

Former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa recently said that “Football is becoming less attractive” due to the obsession of keeping the ball which makes the beautiful game resemble a game of chess, and he would be right.

Ange Postecoglou is seen at the end of the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Aberdeen at Celtic Park Stadium on May 24, 2023 . (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

All clubs should take note and try to play the game the right way. Including our own club who after witnessing the ‘we never stop’ swashbuckling style of Ange Postecoglou have been reverted back to the predictable ‘side to side’ football under Brendan Rodgers, and while proving successful, it’s becoming rather repetitive to watch.

Entertainment is what the supporters want, and we are the lifeblood of the game after all.

England on paper has as strong a squad as Spain however the Spanish side had the better approach and the better system. Hosts Germany, who started brilliantly by destroying Scotland, never maintained that attacking intent and will have to look at the lessons that the Spanish side provided.

On this very site we called for Steve Clarke to use a 4-3-3 system after that 5-1 hammering from the hosts as his anti-football cautious approach was rendered pointless on the opening night of Euro 2024. No other side got battered like Scotland did. Clarke was never going to change and if Scotland is going to develop as an international side then we have to adapt to the modern game.

Even Brendan Rodgers should look to the way Spain won this tournament and see if he too can learn the lessons from a Spanish team that played the beautiful game beautifully and are well worthy of their crow as Champions of Europe.

Congratulations to Spain for winning the Euro 2024 and also Wimbledon on the same day!