No group is enjoying a greater recreation on the Women’s World Cup than Spain, all flashy pace and impressed thought and modern function.
And nobody is talking a greater recreation, both.
Led by the midfield brilliance of Aitana Bonmati however supercharged within the quarterfinal by the nice-to-meet-you superstar breakout of teenager Salma Paralluelo, La Roja is a pure footballing power, constructed round technical templates of higher depth and intricacy than some other squad.
But the Spanish gamers additionally, in their very own means, are rising because the World Cup’s loudest talkers too, toeing the very effective line that exists between assured projection and talking smack. For now, heading into a semifinal in opposition to Sweden on Tuesday (protection begins at 3 a.m. ET, with kickoff at 4 a.m. on FOX and the FOX Sports app), they’re staying simply on the fitting facet of it.
Such issues usually begin on the high, and so it is with the European facet that got here into the occasion as world No. 6 however was extensively seen as a main menace. There is not any brasher assertion in sports activities than the easy line: “We are going to win,” and people had been the exact phrases of Luis Rubiales, president of Spain’s nationwide soccer federation, earlier than his group’s conflict with the Netherlands on Friday.
The gamers, and coach Jorge Vilda to a lesser extent, are following swimsuit.
“I don’t think we have to stop the euphoria,” ahead Athenea del Castillo advised reporters, when questioned concerning the exuberant celebrations in Wellington, New Zealand. “We have made history, and we want to keep doing it.”
Alexi reacts to Spain’s thrilling victory over the Netherlands
The perception has been unshakable from the beginning, and lingered even after a 4-0 thumping by Japan within the group stage, which is now heading dwelling after it lost to Sweden in the quarters.
“We knew we could do great things,” defender Olga Carmona stated. “We are in the process of putting it into place.”
Spain’s public and press are leaping on the bandwagon. To the remainder of the world, Spain is wanting mightily sturdy however nonetheless has loads of work to do to win it all after beating the Dutch.
In Spain itself, you can be forgiven for considering the trophy was already secured, locked and loaded into the cargo maintain of the return flight dwelling.
The win over the Netherlands got here within the recreation of the match, a see-saw battle wherein Spain took a late lead after dominating all through, coughed it up with an equalizer in stoppage time, then scored the winner in further time in opposition to the run of play.
Salma Paralluelo’s game-winning aim from each angle
Paralluelo was anointed as an on the spot icon in her homeland on the again of the aim, the media exhibiting no reservation in anointing her as a bona-fide star.
“Salma with a cape,” Jordi Quixano wrote in “El Pais,” jokingly insisting Paralluelo should be blessed with superhero powers.
Spain had by no means earlier than reached the final eight of a World Cup on the ladies’s facet however could be very a lot on the beating coronary heart of the sport’s evolution. Barcelona, boasting Bonmati, Alexia Putellas and Paralluelo, performs probably the most technically superior girls’s soccer on the planet.
So, what’s with the big talking? Spain is getting away with what it is saying, partly, as a result of none of it is directed on the opponent and most of it is thru the spoken phrase.
While the USA’s rivals — rightly or wrongly — drew inspiration from what was perceived as swagger (dancing, celebrating, selfies and sun shades), Spain goes sturdy on the muscular poetry however is in any other case comparatively understated.
“World Cup NOW” crew reacts to Spain reaching the semis
A World Cup has a sneaky means of slicing you down to dimension if issues aren’t dealt with effectively. Just a day after Dutch ahead Lineth Beerensteyn gleefully stated she was glad the Americans had been eradicated because they had “big mouths,” her group was despatched packing and Beerensteyn herself missed a number of clear possibilities to put Spain away.
[Sydney Leroux claps back at Dutch star who trolled USWNT over early World Cup exit]
It’s not all cockiness for Spain, and there have been tears aplenty after the Netherlands win and its thrilling conclusion. Spain is likely to be steadfast in its confidence that it’s headed for World Cup glory, however that does not cease it from embracing the emotion of success when it comes.
“We have left our hearts and souls on the field,” defender Ivana Andres stated. “And our claws.”
Spain performs the gorgeous recreation the best way many would say it is meant to be performed, however it has a sharp edge too.
Watch, and you may see it. Listen, and you may most definitely hear it.
Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports and the writer of the FOX Sports Insider e-newsletter. Follow him on Twitter @MRogersFOX and subscribe to the daily newsletter.
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