PlugBelow their potential since Euro 2012, the Spaniards hope to find the last four of a great competition. Favorites of Group E, they make their home debut in Bilbao against Sweden on June 14.
La Roja. “La Rouge”, as the dominant color of his jersey (and of his flag). Or, but it’s more dated, the ” Furia roja ‘ (the “Red Fury”), for the same chromatic reason, but with a reference to the sometimes rough style of the selection in its early days.
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The calendar (French time)
June 14: Spain – Sweden, 9 p.m., in Seville
June 19: Spain v Poland, 9 p.m., in Seville
June 23: Spain v Slovakia, 6 p.m., in Seville
The first two of each group as well as the four best thirds qualify.
The team that should play
Unai Simon – Jordi Alba, Eric Garcia, Aymeric Laporte, Marcos Llorente – Sergio Busquets, Koke, Pedri – Dani Olmo, Alvaro Morata, Ferran Torres.
Already three coronations, in 1964, 2008 and 2012, and an eleventh participation this year. In France, in 2016, the Spaniards were dominated by the Italians in the round of 16 (2-0).
The manager: Luis Enrique
Stamped Barça – where he played for eight years and successfully coached for three years (with two championships, three King’s Cups and a Champions League) – Luis Enrique also has the distinction of having evolved four seasons with the great rival, Real Madrid. International 62 times, he belongs to the Spanish generation which systematically failed at the door of the last four of international competitions.
Appointed coach after the fiasco of the 2018 World Cup (defeat in the round of 16 against Russia), he had to leave “La Roja” a few months in 2019 because of the serious illness of his daughter. On November 19, 2019, he made his comeback. Reinforced by a 6-0 success against Germany in the League of Nations, he is ambitious for the Euro: “We have to forget the bad memories of the last tournaments. Our goal is to win titles again. ” The last date of Euro 2012.
A player: Aymeric Laporte
Despite three selections with the Blues – without entering into play – he preferred to opt for the ease of the moment. Barred by competition in France, weary of war, the 27-year-old Agenais, trained at Athletic Bilbao, has chosen to respond to the requests of his footballing country: Spain. Deprived of its iconic captain, central defender Sergio Ramos, troubled by injuries this season, La Roja appealed to the Manchester City player she had courted for many years. Naturalized at the end of an accelerated procedure in May just before the Euro, Laporte will bring his experience to a defense which must manage the international retirement of Gerard Pique and the absence of Ramos, but which can count on the talent of young people. elements like Eric Garcia (20 years old) and Pau Torres (24 years old).
It happened to the Euro
For a long time Spain only had its victory at Euro 1964 to be eaten, before experiencing four years of absolute triumph: Euro 2008, World Cup 2010, Euro 2012. At the time, in 1964, the final round brings together only four teams that compete directly in the semi-finals. At home, “La Roja” eliminated Hungary (2-1, after extra time) and took revenge on the USSR in the final (2-1) in front of 80,000 Madrid spectators. A revenge, in fact, because four years earlier, the Spain of dictator Franco (1892-1975) had refused to grant Soviet players an entry visa during the last round of the knockout phase of the Euro. UEFA then disqualified the Spanish selection, leaving room for the USSR… which became the first European champion of the nations.
Under the yoke of Francisco Franco since the bloody civil war (1936-1939), Spain witnessed the creation of political Europe. But in 1962, 118 personalities from the country organized a Congress of the European movement in Munich. Its president, Salvador de Madariaga, pronounces this strong sentence: “So ends the civil war. ” Mocked by the Franco regime – the Phalangist newspaper Arriba call him “The Munich cohabitation” -, this Congress plays an important role in reaffirming the will of its participants from all sides to pave the way for the democratization of the country. But Spain will have to wait until 1975 and the death of the Caudillo, to begin this process concretely. The country will join the European Union in 1986.
He is a very young singer who represents Spain in the 1970 competition. Former goalkeeper, Julio Iglesias started singing from his hospital bed, where he spent a year and a half following a serious traffic accident. He finishes 4e of Eurovision with Gwendolyne, a title inspired by a Frenchwoman she met in Cambridge. This participation marks the start of his global career. Fifty years later, Julio “hasn’t changed”.
“La Roja” matches in Seville oblige, how to miss the typical Andalusian gazpacho. Then, for amateurs, the oxtail fried in oil and accompanied by local vegetables can be tasted or why not be tempted by the huevas alinas, hake eggs, deposited on a mixture of tomatoes and vinegar onions. And to brave the summer, prepare yourself a tinto de verano, a clever refreshing dose of red wine and lemonade. Serve with ice cubes and a slice of orange or lemon.
