2024 will go down in history as thefairytale year of the Spanish football: After the conquest of the Champions League on the part of the real Madrid (June 1st), the continental triumph of the Roja (July 14) and the success of the Under 19 at the European Championships in the category (July 28), the 5-3 on the France after extra time in the majestic setting of the Parc des Princes, the gold medal in the Olympic tournament. The double in extra time of Sergio Camello (100′ and 120′), with two delicious touches from underneath, is the image of the quality and merits of a football school that is dominating the scene. Spain is pure enjoyment for those who love football. It is beauty and substance, quality and quantity, talent and the ability to suffer.
The Parisian one is a well-deserved gold: the band of Saints Denia he was able to counter the greater physicality of the French, carried away by the crowd and rewarded by a penalty, awarded in the ninetieth minute with the score at 2-3 for Spain, which could be discussed all night. The Brazilian referee Ramon Abattialready the protagonist of a couple of questionable episodes in his career, initially did not punish Turrientes’ intervention on Kalimuendo. Recalled by the VAR, he decided to award the penalty and Mateta, in the 93rd minute, brought the transalpines back on the 3-3. Turrientes almost made it 4-3 by hitting the crossbar in the 96th minute, but it was written somewhere that at least 120 minutes should have been played. In the extension, the higher quality of Spain was decisive.
The match had started well for France, who took the lead in the 11th minute with Millot on the goalkeeper’s trivial mistake Arnau Torresplaying for PSG: he redeemed himself with the long throw for 5-3 and some important saves. The reaction of the Roja gives ten minutes of nightmare to the band led by Thierry Henry: double of Fermin Lopez (18′ and 25′), then Baena’s gem of a free kick in the 28th minute for the 3-0. The Spaniards, despite being masters of the field, failed several times to make it 4-1 and allowed the French to make a comeback, with the goal of Akliouche (79′) and the 3-3 on a penalty kick by Mateta. In extra time the Iberians took control of the match: the brace by Camello, a product of the Atletico Madrid youth system and now at Rayo Vallecano, put a sacrosanct gold in the safe.
It is the second Olympic triumph in history: the previous one dates back to 1992at the Barcelona Games. It was the team of Guardiola And Louis Enriqueto be clear. But the current one is not bad in comparison, on the contrary. Fermín López won the European Championship and the Olympic gold in twenty days, scoring six goals and ranking as the tournament’s vice-top scorer: behind him, Baena and Camello with 2 points. Among the talents that emerged in these Games, he stands out above all others Pau CubarsiBarcelona defender, born in 2007: he moves with disarming confidence. A beautiful and concrete Spain, a carbon copy of the senior national team: the profound meaning of a school that not only produces champions, but is imposing the strength of its ideas in Europe and the world. What, to be clear, Italian football lacks.
