June 29, Feast of Saint Louis Aragonese and Saint Fernando Torres

The Spain of Luis Aragonés arrived, that is to say, La Roja, as the coach himself baptized it, at the final of the Prater after a full game in the semifinals against Russia. Possibly his best performance in many years, although the most euphoric and veterans even spoke of the last decades, a couple of them.

That 'great match' against the Russians had been nothing but the penultimate wink of fate. From the first meeting, that Eurocopa did not stop making advances to Luis and his men. In the first match against Russia it was Villa's three goals. In the second, against Sweden, also the Asturian goal in the extension. In the third against Greece, already classified, the warning came in the form of confirmation that the substitute theorists were up to the task.

Three times the trickster blink occurred in the quarterfinals. With both penalties stopped by Casillas and the one transformed by Cesc. And in the semifinals already mentioned the sensations were so good that more than the penultimate wink it seemed like a 'tick' after another. Too much hunch to fall in the final. And this is how the team interpreted it, which was convinced by the words of a stubborn Aragonese. Germany was big, strong, and tall, but not invincible.

Luis started the great challenge with the same eleven that finished the semifinal. You try the fair ones. That eleven and his way of understanding the game fascinated him. He was convinced of victory. It was not a pose. The morning of the game I was able to shake his hand.

-Mort luck … even if you don't like to be wanted.

I thought he was going to answer me with a phrase of his own. “Luck for the bad bullfighters”, but he was focused on his internal troubles. He responded in his own way.

“Time has passed and we have matured. If we had to play the 2006 World Cup match against France now, we would not lose. This team would have withdrawn into their field with the advantage, they would not have gone crazy and from the ball they would have known defend himself and finish off his victory. “

The technician's last talk before the final was illuminating. “No one, no one, no one remembers the runner-up (three times). We are better and we will beat them. These finals are won by the team that is sure of what it has to do and we are. We do not lose self-control.”

Responsibility and concentration are reflected in the players' departure onto the pitch. One by one. Iker Casillas with his captain's armband and the protocol pennant, Sergio Ramos, Torres, Xavi, Marchena, Capdevila, Senna, Puyol, Iniesta, Cesc, Silva … They all train to listen to the hymns. Luis moves like a sage caged by the technical zone.

The start of the meeting was somewhat discouraging. Low's came out on a roller version. They took the ball from Spain and cornered him in his field. Those closest to us look at each other. It was fifteen minutes of high pressure and physical demonstration. Klose did not score after a mistake by Ramos, because the winks were not over. Xavi and Cesc did not see the ball. Luis ordered Iniesta and Silva to change bands. Then Senna appeared, the most Teutonic of the Spanish, although he was born in Sao Paulo, to put order. The team used its technical, physical and tactical ability to gain meters. So much so that Torres headed to the post a center of Sergio Ramos.

La Roja was already inside. And he got to the bottom when after a long circulation, one of those that always have a goal, Xavi found a hole and sent the ball there. Torres was running with Lahm, who was playing out of his original position, on the left side. It seemed that the 'blond' German had an advantage, but the Spanish 'blond' put the turbo, gained the position on the outside and when he saw the mastodon Lehman was thrown at his feet, he stung the ball over the top with the right.

None of us knew then the value of that goal, but it was the warning, the blinking, the warning, the almost definitive hint that that title had its owner and was none other than the National Team. After enduring the penultimate German arreón came to a break that Luis used to multiply the ego of all his players.

They say it was Luis in its purest form. First, as was his custom, he let the players take a five-minute breath. “Rest, rest …” Then a monologue while walking. Cheers, advice, details with a certain player.

The computer came back plugged in. Between 52 and 55 minutes he created three occasions. And between 67 and 69, many others. Some clearer than others, but all threatening. Daughters of the dominance, of the intuition and talent that those players had inside. Spain had to win by more goals. It is true that Germany hit pigtails until the last whistle of Rosetti, but the Selection had been superior.

That July 29 was no longer in the saints the day of San Pedro and San Pablo, it was the day of San Luis Aragonés and San Fernando Torres and it will be for the rest of time. What we could not imagine that what lived in that Prater in the shadow of the gigantic ferris wheel was simply the beginning of a glorious trilogy.

Michel Platini, UEFA president, was ready for the big ceremony and to close a cycle. A goal of his to Acornada on June 27, 1984 took the National Team away from the dream of winning their second Euro Cup, after that of 64. Now, 24 years and two days later, he was giving Casillas the Cup that he possibly should have lifted the Arconada himself in the Parc des Princes de Paris. And to celebrate, Palop, the third goalkeeper, wore the Basque goalkeeper's shirt.

The heroes celebrated triumph as on great occasions. It was not be for lowerly. Everyone could be proud of their final and their Championship. Casillas added his third consecutive game without receiving a goal and showed that in the overlooked game he had improved so that the Germans did not intimidate him. Sergio, who was then a long-distance winger, ate his band and increased in the aerial bombardment. Puyol, plethoric, dwarfed Klose. Marchena became the 'kaiser' with Beckenbauer on the rostrum. Capdevila appeared to be in the courtyard of his house. Senna, oh Senna !, shrunk backwards, forwards, covered the field … and all at an improper pace of a Brazilian.

Xavi was Xavi. All is said. The best partner of each and every one of your colleagues. Cesc was as helpful as ever. Iniesta moved better on the left than on the right and defied vertigo with his unlikely dribbles. Silva pulled diagonals and held the tarascadas with his head high …

… And Torres … Fernando remembered the hymn of his Liverpool then and never walked alone, He scored the winning goal, was able to score a second and traveled at a speed different from that of the two German centrals, Mertesacker and Metzelder, even at from Lahm.

Luis's changes seemed more timely than ever. Xabi Alonso because it was an injection of oxygen and knowing how to be when it was most needed. Cazorla because he took over the right wing and the team breathed there and Guiza because he did everything they told him to and was close to the goal.

They all melted into a hug with those who did not play the final, but they could feel as champions as they were. Only Palop was left without playing. The rest had their glory match against Greece (2-1): Reina, Arbeloa, Albiol, Juanito, Fernando Navarro, De la Red and Sergio García.

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Luis Aragonés arrived at Euro 2008 with a preconceived idea in his head. He was convinced that the National Team played better with one reference above than with two. That is, with one more midfielder and one less forward. That tactical arrangement was a tailored suit. The best possible scenario for the 'crazy little ones'. More control, longer, faster and smoother circulations. A very mobile buoy and arrivals from the second line. He even explained it to the one who wanted to listen to him.

“Whether we like it or not, when we play best it is with one up. I had that idea in my head because we qualified for it, but Villa finished the season enormous and in the first game he scored three goals; what should I do, take him away? Cesc He came from twenty days without doing anything because he was injured with Arsenal and I played with Villa above, but coming to receive. I sincerely believe that we are more like this, the four in the middle take possession of the ball and there is no one to take it away; They adjust the passes, the four have a very good vision of the game. If the opponent does not have the ball, he gets very tired. “

And by one of those fortunes of fate, Villa was injured in the semifinals against Russia. Curiously, in a free kick that did not correspond to launch because Luis from the band was scolding asking Senna to break it. With the Asturian out of action Luis found his gala '11' and did not hesitate a second to line him up against the Germans.