First day and the second has just started, but we should stop, at least in this corner of your/our website, our daily meeting point, to reflect once we have seen, for the first time, the 32 selections who compete in this Qatar World Cuptoo curious not to notice that the first day is over and we already have the first games of the second, with more surprises, yes, such as the defeat of Wales and the draws of the Netherlands and England against inferior teams, they say.
I have looked for an expert football team to comment on some events of this (almost) first week of competition and I have found a great coach and sports director, Llorenç Serra Ferrer; an excellent World Cup goalkeeper, Santi Canizares; an all-round midfielder, feisty, stocky, impressive on the pitch as Victor Muñoz and a fine-footed scorer like Ángel ‘Pichi’ Alonso.
Youth, divine treasure
And, of course, their opinions may largely coincide with yours. That impressive and goalscoring Spain, that dazzling Brazil (how much damage it does when Neymar Júnior falls the first time!), that solid and solvent England and that France full of great footballers. And, of course, of course, they have also been struck by the chaos in Argentina, the surprise in Germany, the indifference of Belgium, always called to something more, and the disconcerting Netherlands. And, of course, sorry, glory and honours, not only to the 7-0, I insist, of ‘la roja’, but to the impressive goal from the Brazilian Richarlison on the first day. But let’s read his reasoning.
“For me, the most impressive thing about this first phase of the World Cup has been the dazzling way, in my opinion, of how he plays, how he stands on the field and how this new generation of footballers behaves, obviously represented in Spain by the Pedri , Gavi, Ansu Fati and Balde, but who also have more than one representative in England (Bellingham and Saka), in Germany (Saka), in Ghana (Kudus), in Morocco (Abde) and in almost all the national teams because, at physical, logical at his age, they add an inappropriate mettle of his first World Cup. What’s more, it seems that these youngsters are playing their fourth World Cup, with an admirable tactical application, as well as a spectacular level of motivation”, points out Serra Ferrer.
“The best news from this World Cup is the maturity with which the new generation of footballers behaves and plays”
Llorenç Serra Ferrer / Football coach
“For me, I insist, that is the best news in this start of the World Cup. Well, that and the brilliance with which Spain debuted, because although many detract from the 7-0 score due to the type of rival (Costa Rica), I give it to them for two fundamental reasons”, continues the Mallorcan coach. “One because he showed that he wanted to win, score goals and command from minute one, playing at a very high pace, continually changing orientation and always, always looking at the rival goal. And because the mix of youngsters and veterans looks very good, as well as the idea of putting Rodrigo in as a central defender so that he takes two steps and joins Busquets, with Gavi and Pedri and, on top of that, sometimes, Asensio takes two steps back and, then, Spain takes over at will the center of the field, which is the engine room ”.
Spain, protagonist
“I’m sorry, but from this first day I would highlight, yes, the spectacular debut of Spain”, explains the goalkeeper Cañizares. “And, of course, I don’t take credit for the rival, because ‘la roja’ is not to blame for that, others had similar opponents and neither played at their level, nor did they shine for 90 minutes, nor, of course, scored seven goals, so Spain did something that is vital when you start a competition of this level: find your way, impose your style and win brilliantly on the first day, on your debut. Spain has already won that, like Brazil, like France or like England, to name the other three teams that I loved. The others, however, will have to look for that path and, on top of that, against the clock, as is the case with Argentina and Germany, for example”.
For Cañizares, the way in which Spain has set foot on Qatar-2022 “undoubtedly strengthens all the plans drawn up by Luis Enrique and his technical team, since it not only shows that he has chosen his players well, the ones he wanted and needed for what he he wanted to reflect on the field, how he wanted his team to play, but rather it shows that the tools they have made available to footballers are effective, they work, which is vital to gain confidence and strengthen the group from the start”.
“Spain has already found its way as soon as it debuted and other teams are still looking for it”
Santiago Cañizares / International exporter
“It may be, yes,” Cañizares insists, “that other teams have better individualities, maybe, but the Spanish block was impeccable and soccer continues to be a team sport.” When you ask Cañizares if he is not liking something about this World Cup, he comments that “this unfavorable environment, the situation of covert protest, which is being held in a country so questioned, where football is what it is and with the stadiums, often, without being completely filled, something unthinkable in other World Cups”.
“What I would like to highlight most about this first matchday in all the groups”, points out Víctor Muñoz, “is that, as has been the case for some years now in all the tough, strong leagues, the team that does not play with the maximum intensity and continuation, the team that believes itself to be the superior start, the team that falls asleep after winning 1-0 and disconnects from the game for being too much, ends up paying for it, because nobody here forgives a mistake. Here you fall asleep, you recreate yourself, 15 minutes and you lose”.
all fit
“All the footballers have arrived in Qatar at the start of the season, in top form, wanting to enjoy and shine and that makes equality even greater,” insists the handy midfielder, who praised, of course, the performance from Spain. “The team played a well-rounded match, but…you have to be careful, you shouldn’t believe it, because this has only just begun and there are no longer ‘sweet experts’. It is a young team and, possibly, it will have some irregular performance and that day it must save it however it can, even if it is not brilliantly. Against Costa Rica everything came out, everything”.
Víctor, who is convinced that Argentina will qualify, took “like everyone else, right?” a big surprise with the defeat of Messi and company, as well as with the loss of Germany against Japan. “I liked Brazil, of course. And France, with an Mbappé who must contribute more. And England, who I think have better players on the bench than Garteh Southgate put on the pitch at the start of the World Cup”.
“There is great equality. Here, if you fall asleep, if you trust yourself for 15 minutes, you lose no matter how great you are”
Víctor Muñoz / Former international midfielder
“Well, for me, more than Spain, who was facing whoever they were facing and, yes, they played an impressive, well-rounded match, the news of this first full day has been the blow that Argentina gave itself”, points out ‘Pichi’ Alonso. “Because you have to take into account that it is Argentina, that it is the American champion, that it came from 36 games in a row without losing, with the noise that Leo Messi is going for everything because it is his last chance and he goes and, not only loses, but they have no options, no chances, to tie or win. And that seems very strong to me.”
Spain should not be trusted
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“The thing in Germany seemed to me what Víctor says, the demonstration that here you fall asleep and clap your hands,” continues the scorer, who considers that what he likes the least “is that mania of the referees, not excessively lengthening the matches , that also, but to notify the players a thousand times in each game so that they do not catch themselves in the corner kicks or fouls. You notify them once and that’s it! That way of slowing down the game and stopping it so many times seems absurd to me”.
“Argentina’s defeat, wrapped up in the fact that it is Messi’s last World Cup, seems to me the news of this start”
Ángel ‘Pichi’ Alonso / Spanish goalscorer
By the way, after witnessing Japan’s victory against Germany “who deserved it a lot”, ‘Pichi’ didn’t want the euphoria that has been unleashed around Spain to mislead her. “We have to play a great game against Germany because, if we lose, things can get complicated for us. I know that Luis Enrique, I am convinced, thinks the same and that none of our footballers trusts, I know, but I am not so clear about it, this is still a matter of clenching our fists and playing just as well as against Costa Roca. Or score points and win against Germany, even if it’s not with such a brilliant match, that’s very clear to me”.