FIFA World Cup 2014 – The Spanish Armada Approaches

FIFA World Cup 2014 – The Spanish Armada Approaches

FIFA World Cup 2014 – The Spanish Armada Approaches

📅09 April 2014, 13:51

Three-time Euro Cup winners, Spain has a reputation that precedes the country known for turning out some of the world’s most skilled athletes. Currently FIFA’s top-ranked national team, Spain had put on a magnificent display last year against the Netherlands to secure the World Cup trophy in South Africa. The performance in 2010 was a strong one, with seven games played resulting in only a single loss.

Style

The team’s tiki-taka style of play is a predominate trope in every respect, playing in circles around opponents by stringing together dizzying series of passes through defenders to find solid opportunities on goal with precision and speed from strikers. Spain’s continuous awareness of space on the field and their positioning is far and wide their strongest quality and a nagging thorn in the side of many an opponent.

Offense

Mainstay strikers David Villa, who was top scorer in Germany for the 2006 Cup and 2010 as well, and Raúl González, with 44 goals in 102 appearances, will be a formidable duo on the pitch despite their marked reduction in presence on the field of late. Perhaps the atmosphere of international competition’s most revered tournament will instil within them the spirit of past World Cup performances. Difficult for any defence to contend with, no doubt their first foray into the 2014 Cup against Netherlands will set the tone for the rest of the tournament events.

Defence

Defence will be another aspect of the Spanish team’s game in need of stepping up for the World Cup. Sergio Ramos is world-class all the way, but he can’t carry the Spanish defence all on his own. With Puyol likely out of the competition, Neymar and Oscar will need to rise to the challenge and solidify the backfield and allow their strikers the peace of mind to focus on their end and put it in the net.

World Cup Group Stage