Spains era came to an end at the Maracanã, graveyard of great expectations. This was not 1950 and Iker Casillas is not Moacir Barbosa, but it was historic. The world and double European champions became the first team to leave the 2014 World Cup, knocked out of a major tournament for the first time in eight years.
As the second half slipped away, so did Spains vital signs. Casillas, the captain who lifted the trophy four years ago, wore a haunted look. Diego Costa, the man Spain had signed had departed to insults, unable to score. And Xavi, the ideologue of a philosophy in which this team believed, never even took to the field. There was symbolism in his absence. He will probably not be back; Casillas may not be either. Between them, they have 289 caps and every medal there is.
Continue reading... Reported by guardian.co.uk 29 minutes ago.
As the second half slipped away, so did Spains vital signs. Casillas, the captain who lifted the trophy four years ago, wore a haunted look. Diego Costa, the man Spain had signed had departed to insults, unable to score. And Xavi, the ideologue of a philosophy in which this team believed, never even took to the field. There was symbolism in his absence. He will probably not be back; Casillas may not be either. Between them, they have 289 caps and every medal there is.
Continue reading... Reported by guardian.co.uk 29 minutes ago.