Spanish footballers scoop the lot in remarkable year
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Spain's and Manchester City's Rodri with the Ballon d'Or.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MADRID – From the Champions League to the Olympics, via a dominant Euro 2024, Spain were the truly dominant force in club and international football this year and put the individual cherry on the cake with Rodri winning the Ballon d’Or.
A few weeks after Real Madrid claimed a record-extending 15th Champions League title by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in June, an imperious Spain conquered all before them to triumph in the European Championship.
Even during the magnificent years when Spain dominated international football, winning the 2008 and 2012 Euro and the 2010 World Cup, they did not quite manage to double up on the club scene, although they came close with Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona winning the Champions League in 2009 and 2011.
Somehow none of that golden generation, which included Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso, among other greats, managed to win the Ballon d’Or for best player in the world as they were repeatedly eclipsed by the battle between Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo for the coveted award.
Although Real continued to fly the flag in the Champions League, a return to similar success at national level seemed a long way away for many years.
Following a disappointing 2022 World Cup under Luis Enrique, Spain opted for the low-profile Luis de la Fuente as his replacement, a virtually unknown figure who was working in the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s youth system for over a decade.
The idea was to go back to the seeds which were planted years ago, when de la Fuente had worked with so many players who then developed into top players starring all over Europe.
He knew them better than anyone and they knew exactly what he wanted. Under his calm guidance, the man once mocked as Luis “de la Who” led Spain to a record fourth European title with an impeccable campaign in Germany, winning all of their games.
Their standout players, Manchester City midfielder Rodri and Barca teenager Lamine Yamal, claimed the awards for best player and best young player at the tournament and for the season, winning the Ballon d’Or and Kopa Trophy respectively.
The younger generation also showed that the future looks bright as, following a heartbreaking defeat in the final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Spain claimed gold at Paris 2024 in August.
With the 2026 World Cup in North America under two years away, Spain will enter 2025 with the best national team, best player and best young player in the world.
At club level, Real’s major signing Kylian Mbappe might have started slowly in the Spanish capital as they struggle in Europe, but few would bet against them being in the mix again come the Champions League knockout stage in 2025. REUTERS
