After six years of dominance on the world stage it’s all come to a screeching halt for Spain. Embarrassed 5-1 against the Netherlands and 2-0 against Chile, what was once a vibrant, attacking, flowing team looked confused and barren in Brazil.
But unlike other world champions who’ve faltered in the first round, Spain should have no problem rebuilding, as their youth teams have dominated in recent years. Here are five players who didn’t go to Brazil but are sure to play a big role in the Spanish revitalisation in the coming years:
Thiago – When La Masia product Thiago Alacantra left to join Pep Guardiola with treble-winning Bayern Munich at the beginning of the season, many wondered if he would get any playing time in a midfield which had no shortage of world-class players.
Yet Thiago outshone them all, becoming the lynchpin of the side and the perfect link between defence and attack. His midseason injury was a huge blow to both Bayern and Spain and he was sorely missed.
Thiago’s skill set would have been a valuable asset to the Spain midfield, which struggled in Brazil. Along with Ateltico Madrid’s Koke, who had a brief run out against Chile, he should form the midfield of the future for his country.
Isco – Two months into the season it would have been ludicrous to think that the former Malaga star would not be in the Spain World Cup squad but his dip in form coupled with Real Madrid Coach Carlo Ancelotti’s reliance on a hard-working three-man midfield saw the starlet relegated to the bench.
Isco would recover however, even showing tremendous defensive capabilities as well, most notably in the Copa Del Rey final against Barcelona, where he lead the game with the most tackles.
But Isco’s talent lies in the final third. An excellent dribbler and finisher, he is certain to play a big part in Spain’s quest for glory in Euro 2016.
Dani Carvajal – Some were baffled at Del Bosque’s decision not to take Dani Carvajal to the World Cup after an excellent season for Real Madrid in which he won both the Copa Del Rey and the Champions League.
After returning from his one-year spell in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen, where he was named Bundesliga right-back of the year, Carvajal promptly won the starting spot of veteran Alvaro Arbeloa.
An excellent attacker and no slouch in defence either, it should only be matter of time before the talented Carvajal makes the position his own at the national level as well.
Ander Iturraspe – For those who don’t regularly follow Athletic Bilbao the inclusion of Ander Iturraspe in Del Bosque’s 30-man provisional squad may have come as a bit of a surprise. However, the 23-year-old midfielder was fully deserving of his call up after an excellent season with the Basque side.
Combative, efficient and mobile, Iturraspe shined at the heart of the Bilbao midfield and became an integral cog in the team that landed an impressive fourth place.
With Sergi Busquets looking decidedly average this season it may be the opportunity for Iturrsape to show why he’s so highly regarded in La Liga.
Jese – Perhaps the player with the most potential of the bunch, and with such a talented group that is certainly saying something, Jese Rodriguez was fantastic for Real Madrid in his debut season with the first team.
Touted as a future Ballon D’or candidate in the vein of his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, the forward is quick, skilful and has excellent composure in front of goal. Del Bosque singled him out for praise back in February after successive goals against Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal and Getafe and all signs seemed to point to his possible inclusion in the World Cup squad.
However an ACL tear during Madrid’s game against Schalke sidelined him for the rest of the season, putting to rest his World Cup dreams. But if the 21-year-old can recover and get back to the form he displayed last season he could be the crown jewel of La Roja for years to come.
