The 2016 European Championship in France was a turning point for Spain and Croatia. In that tournament both teams met in the last match of the group stage, with the first place at stake. The loot was important, because passing as leader meant avoiding the 'side of death'. The Croats won that match after overcoming Morata's initial goal. The result later in the tournament was the same for both: in the second round La Roja lost to Italy and the Croats to Portugal.
That was the end of Del Bosque as coach and the moment of a profound renewal. In Croatia, Ante Cacic was very touched and maintained the bad feelings in the qualifying phase for the 2018 World Cup, when he was dismissed in a critical situation on October 7, 2017. A semi-unknown Zlatko Dalic took the controls and in a few months turned that group full of doubts into runner-up in the world.
Since that Euro Cup, the last, five years have passed. A five-year period that for these two teams seemed like a decade. Only nine Croats repeat from one tournament to another (Lovre Kalinic, Vida, Vrsaljko, Badelj, Brozovic, Kovacic, Modric, Perisic and Kramaric) and on the Spanish side the number is even smaller, seven (De Gea, Jordi Alba, Azpilicueta, Busquets, Thiago, Koke and Morata). As a percentage, as Luis Enrique has only led to 24, the revolution is similar. Croatia has changed to 69% of the workforce and Spain to 71%.
With respect to the last World Cup, in 2018, there are also many changes. Although in a very different way. Dalic faced after the success a generational change because several veterans left the national team (Rakitic, Mandzukic …). That has meant that only half of the current list (13) were in Russia three years ago, when they were runners-up. It has been a change required more than desired, but the Gvardiol, Vlasic, Petkovic and company have shown that they are up to the challenge.
Luis Enrique, meanwhile, has totally changed the face of Spain that failed with a crash in the second round of the last World Cup against Russia: there are only six left (De Gea, Busquets, Koke, Thiago, Azpilicueta and Jordi Alba). 75% of the team has changed in just three years. However, when the decisive moment came he pulled on the 'old guard': four of the six started against Slovakia last Wednesday …
I respect
The news of the confrontation against Spain did not go down well at the Croatian hotel in Rovinj, the small fishing town where they are concentrated. “We have the toughest opponent in this part of the competition. It was much easier to face Sweden, but that's what it is … Spain is a young, fast, energetic team. They base their game on high pressure, a lot of combination and on finding free spaces to exploit their speed, ”said Dalic shortly after the Group E resolution was known.
Luis Enrique and the Croatian know each other well, because in 2018 they had a double confrontation in the Nations League in just two months: in September Spain thrashed (6-0) and in November the Croats learned their lesson (victory 3-2). A win for every coach. Some tables that now have the opportunity to undo in the European Championship …