Let's talk sport... ...you, me, TODOS.
Spain...are the European 2012 Winners
The case for Spain to win once again lift the European Cup.
Football is a special game full of special players. Now we could go ahead and talk about the special qualities of the Spanish players but that's what everyone talks about with Spain. The next thing that everyone talks about with Spain is their Tiki-Taka style of play known for their combinations of passing carousels that daze the opponent over the course of 90 minutes but we're not going to talk about that either. With that said I want to coin in a new term, "New Football World Order" or NWFO. This refers to what it realistically takes to win one of these major competitions (European Championship, World Cup, Champions League). This NWFO has been a recent trend among winners in the last couple years starting around the time Spain won Euro 2008 and it refers to in order to win a major international competition you don't only need good players you need great players that are winners. There is a fine line between good footballers and great footballers and that is the difference between getting a result when your team needs it. Now allow me to make my case. First let's talk about the past.
Past
In 2006 Spain was known as the team that never could. In the quarter-finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup they came up against an experienced French side (past winners of World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000) that was on a mission to make one last final. They had great not good players like Thierry Henry, Patrick Viera, and of course Zinedine Zidane. Players that had won it all. They matched up against a young and capable Spanish side that had blown past the group stage. In fact in that match Spain led 1-0 after a David Villa penalty, it looked like they were on their way. Until France struck back with three goals with Zidane scoring to seal the match and Spain's fate. Those good Spanish players lost to great French players. The Spanish tasted defeat and it would fuel a thunderous campaign towards the build up to Euro 2008. And the rest is history...not quite yet. Spain still had to become a great team. When did that exactly happen. Well it may have happened on the pitch against World Champions Italy in a quarterfinal match. The lead up to the match had Italy with their experienced World Cup winning side now with their eyes on the Euro. Italy started off shaky getting destroyed by the Dutch but they managed to recover and pass under the radar as they tend to do. Spain on the other hand looked like the side in 2006 winning all 3 matches in the group stage. The two sides played through an intense 90 minutes 0-0 of football with Spain having more of the possession. They ended up going to penalties and the Spanish were underdogs of course for two reasons. One, they were facing the Italian side that won the World Cup in penalties. Two, they were notorious for always disappointing. But surprisingly Spain went through. It was a brave win for the Spanish side that would soon conquer Europe then the World. Spain ended up reaching a final where they faced a determined German side that was looking to lift another European Cup as they great German teams before in the past. It was to be Germany again or Spain at last. Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the match as Spain dominated Germany with their slick passing game. Spain were the European Champions. Full of talent and now a side full of winners. A quality that under the NFWO states that only the teams that realistically have a shot at winning a major competition. Spain are a side not only full of great players but they are a decorated side full of winners. In this last cycle (4 years) teams that have won major competitions have been teams that fall under the NFWO.
New Football World Order
The NFWO is my theory to explain the winning formula in football for the last cycle (4 years). It suggests that a team can only realistically win a major competition (World Cup, European Cup, Champions League) if and only if they have winning footballers leading their side. More interestingly let's look at the 4 finalists of the World Cup in 2010 and see how NFWO is in play. The final 4 teams were Spain, Netherlands, Germany and Uruguay. Spain had the Barcelona 8 plus 2 from Real Madrid and 1 from Villareal in their starting line up against the Dutch in the Final. Of those 11 players 9 of them had won the Champions League. Barcelona having won the year before and almost reaching the final losing to Inter Milan led by Jose Mourinho and Wesley Sneijder. Inter went on to beat Bayern who was led by the incredible form of Arjen Robben in the Champions League. Those two protagonists in the 2010 Champions League final for some reason happened to be Spain's opposition in the World Cup Final. Another Dutch player that made a big impact in the midfield exerting his authority was Mark van Bommel, who captained Bayern to the Champions League Final. Good players get praised, great players make Finals and win. Coincidence about the Spanish-Dutch final in 2010? I think not. Equally as interesting is the case for Germany and Uruguay. Germany was a side led by the great play of their youngster. Of the players that were protagonists for Germany 3 of them played in the 2010 Champions League Final again players that are winners not just good players. Bayern players captained by Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and FIFA World Cup 2010 Best Young Player Award Winner Thomas Müller led the German side to 3rd place finish losing to the Spanish in the semi-final in match similar to the Euro 2008 Final. As for Uruguay they were led by a player that was on fire scoring winning goals for Atletico Madrid in the Europa League Final that year. That player was Diego Forlan, leading his side to a European title that year. He was in red hot form in the Europa League scoring a winning goal in extra time at Anfield against Liverpool and two goals in the Europa League Final. He carried on in the World Cup leading Uruguay to a fourth place finish and won the award for the Best Player at the 2012 World Cup. How about the great Brazil? Why didn't Brazil do well in the World Cup, they crashed out against the Dutch. In 2010 Brazil was led by Kaka, Luis Fabiano and Robinho as their playmakers to win another World Cup. Kaka, Luis Fabiano and Robinho had disappointing seasons and didn't win any titles or play in any Finals. Only Kaka in 2007 before NFWO came into play so you can say they were good players but not winners and that hurt Brazil in end, who fell to the Dutch on goals created by guess who? Wesley Sneider and Arjen Robben (winners).
The Present
The Spanish, Dutch and Germans are the three favorites to life the European Cup. They are the three sides with the most decorated players. Germany having the Bayern players dispute a Champions League Final this year will be there contending. The Dutch have a powerful side with experienced players from Champions League Finals and a World Cup Final experience that left them with a bad taste. Spain the side that defeated the Dutch and Germans in 2012 have once a again familiar faces making them the favorites. In fact, these are the 3 teams that have contested the last 2 Finals (Euro 2008, World Cup 2010) and hold familiar faces that we've seen in Champions League Finals demonstrate that we're probably going to see them again in the Euro 2012 final. Expect to see Spain in yet again another final, those same Barcelona players that we've seen Champions League finals playing against either Dutch or German players that we've seen in the past Finals as well. That is what the NFWO defines at least. +JG:PG for TODOSLifestyle +June 2012
Football is a special game full of special players. Now we could go ahead and talk about the special qualities of the Spanish players but that's what everyone talks about with Spain. The next thing that everyone talks about with Spain is their Tiki-Taka style of play known for their combinations of passing carousels that daze the opponent over the course of 90 minutes but we're not going to talk about that either. With that said I want to coin in a new term, "New Football World Order" or NWFO. This refers to what it realistically takes to win one of these major competitions (European Championship, World Cup, Champions League). This NWFO has been a recent trend among winners in the last couple years starting around the time Spain won Euro 2008 and it refers to in order to win a major international competition you don't only need good players you need great players that are winners. There is a fine line between good footballers and great footballers and that is the difference between getting a result when your team needs it. Now allow me to make my case. First let's talk about the past.
Past
In 2006 Spain was known as the team that never could. In the quarter-finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup they came up against an experienced French side (past winners of World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000) that was on a mission to make one last final. They had great not good players like Thierry Henry, Patrick Viera, and of course Zinedine Zidane. Players that had won it all. They matched up against a young and capable Spanish side that had blown past the group stage. In fact in that match Spain led 1-0 after a David Villa penalty, it looked like they were on their way. Until France struck back with three goals with Zidane scoring to seal the match and Spain's fate. Those good Spanish players lost to great French players. The Spanish tasted defeat and it would fuel a thunderous campaign towards the build up to Euro 2008. And the rest is history...not quite yet. Spain still had to become a great team. When did that exactly happen. Well it may have happened on the pitch against World Champions Italy in a quarterfinal match. The lead up to the match had Italy with their experienced World Cup winning side now with their eyes on the Euro. Italy started off shaky getting destroyed by the Dutch but they managed to recover and pass under the radar as they tend to do. Spain on the other hand looked like the side in 2006 winning all 3 matches in the group stage. The two sides played through an intense 90 minutes 0-0 of football with Spain having more of the possession. They ended up going to penalties and the Spanish were underdogs of course for two reasons. One, they were facing the Italian side that won the World Cup in penalties. Two, they were notorious for always disappointing. But surprisingly Spain went through. It was a brave win for the Spanish side that would soon conquer Europe then the World. Spain ended up reaching a final where they faced a determined German side that was looking to lift another European Cup as they great German teams before in the past. It was to be Germany again or Spain at last. Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the match as Spain dominated Germany with their slick passing game. Spain were the European Champions. Full of talent and now a side full of winners. A quality that under the NFWO states that only the teams that realistically have a shot at winning a major competition. Spain are a side not only full of great players but they are a decorated side full of winners. In this last cycle (4 years) teams that have won major competitions have been teams that fall under the NFWO.
New Football World Order
The NFWO is my theory to explain the winning formula in football for the last cycle (4 years). It suggests that a team can only realistically win a major competition (World Cup, European Cup, Champions League) if and only if they have winning footballers leading their side. More interestingly let's look at the 4 finalists of the World Cup in 2010 and see how NFWO is in play. The final 4 teams were Spain, Netherlands, Germany and Uruguay. Spain had the Barcelona 8 plus 2 from Real Madrid and 1 from Villareal in their starting line up against the Dutch in the Final. Of those 11 players 9 of them had won the Champions League. Barcelona having won the year before and almost reaching the final losing to Inter Milan led by Jose Mourinho and Wesley Sneijder. Inter went on to beat Bayern who was led by the incredible form of Arjen Robben in the Champions League. Those two protagonists in the 2010 Champions League final for some reason happened to be Spain's opposition in the World Cup Final. Another Dutch player that made a big impact in the midfield exerting his authority was Mark van Bommel, who captained Bayern to the Champions League Final. Good players get praised, great players make Finals and win. Coincidence about the Spanish-Dutch final in 2010? I think not. Equally as interesting is the case for Germany and Uruguay. Germany was a side led by the great play of their youngster. Of the players that were protagonists for Germany 3 of them played in the 2010 Champions League Final again players that are winners not just good players. Bayern players captained by Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and FIFA World Cup 2010 Best Young Player Award Winner Thomas Müller led the German side to 3rd place finish losing to the Spanish in the semi-final in match similar to the Euro 2008 Final. As for Uruguay they were led by a player that was on fire scoring winning goals for Atletico Madrid in the Europa League Final that year. That player was Diego Forlan, leading his side to a European title that year. He was in red hot form in the Europa League scoring a winning goal in extra time at Anfield against Liverpool and two goals in the Europa League Final. He carried on in the World Cup leading Uruguay to a fourth place finish and won the award for the Best Player at the 2012 World Cup. How about the great Brazil? Why didn't Brazil do well in the World Cup, they crashed out against the Dutch. In 2010 Brazil was led by Kaka, Luis Fabiano and Robinho as their playmakers to win another World Cup. Kaka, Luis Fabiano and Robinho had disappointing seasons and didn't win any titles or play in any Finals. Only Kaka in 2007 before NFWO came into play so you can say they were good players but not winners and that hurt Brazil in end, who fell to the Dutch on goals created by guess who? Wesley Sneider and Arjen Robben (winners).
The Present
The Spanish, Dutch and Germans are the three favorites to life the European Cup. They are the three sides with the most decorated players. Germany having the Bayern players dispute a Champions League Final this year will be there contending. The Dutch have a powerful side with experienced players from Champions League Finals and a World Cup Final experience that left them with a bad taste. Spain the side that defeated the Dutch and Germans in 2012 have once a again familiar faces making them the favorites. In fact, these are the 3 teams that have contested the last 2 Finals (Euro 2008, World Cup 2010) and hold familiar faces that we've seen in Champions League Finals demonstrate that we're probably going to see them again in the Euro 2012 final. Expect to see Spain in yet again another final, those same Barcelona players that we've seen Champions League finals playing against either Dutch or German players that we've seen in the past Finals as well. That is what the NFWO defines at least. +JG:PG for TODOSLifestyle +June 2012