TIKI TAKA is dead, all hail the new Spain. Luis de la Fuente’s fresh blend of experience and youth made Luka Modric and Croatia look their age in a devastating display of intent. On paper, this match looked like a good bet to be the first competitive and compelling clash of the tournament.
Instead Spain brutally ripped the game away from the Croats with three deadly thrusts in 16 first-half minutes. The goals from Alvaro Morata , Fabian Ruiz and Dani Carvajal were different in type but shared two key characteristics. They were all, in their own way, brilliant.
But more importantly, they all came from Spain seeing an opening and instantly trusting themselves to make the most of it. No more keeping the ball for the sake of it. No more trying to walk it into the net.
No more inflicting death by a thousand cuts on the opposition. Why bother when you can knock them out with good, firm punches? It also felt significant that Lamine Yamal played his part in two of those big moments. BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER S In the stadium where Jesse Owens made Olympic history in 1936, much to the disgust of Adolf Hitler, the 16-year-old Barcelona star set a new record as the youngest player in European Championship finals history.
Yamal showed plenty of flashes to suggest he can go on to light up a tournament in which Spain must be considered serious contenders. Croatia cannot say they were not warned. Boss Zlatko Dalic had noted before the match how De La Fuente’s side pl.
