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Rediff.com  » Sports » How Spanish media mourned World Cup's Friday the 13th
This article was first published 9 years ago

How Spanish media mourned World Cup's Friday the 13th

June 14, 2014 15:22 IST

Image: Spain supporters react as they watch the team's 2014 World Cup Group B match against Netherlands on a giant screen
Photographs: Juan Medina/Reuters

Spain mourned the national football team's stunning loss to Netherlands in their World Cup opener on Friday with words such as ‘humiliation’ and ‘nightmare’ splashed across the front pages of newspapers on Saturday.

-Football World Cup coverage

Points table

Spain, one of the favourites to win the World Cup and defend their 2010 title, succumbed to a rampant Netherlands team in their heaviest World Cup defeat in over 60 years with a 5-1 demolition.

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'A complete cataclysm'

Image: Goalkeeper Iker Casillas, left, and Sergio Ramos of Spain react after conceding a goal
Photographs: David Ramos/Getty Images

"Worse than the worst possible nightmare for a team that had never conceded more than one goal in a European or World championship since 2008," Spain's leading newspaper El Pais said. ‘A complete cataclysm.’

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Tags: Pais , Spain

'We've lost the magic touch'

Image: Spain's goalkeeper Iker Casillas reacts after allowing the Netherlands fourth goal to Robin van Persie
Photographs: David Ramos/Getty Images

Madrid, which normally greets victories with blasting car horns and singing along the streets, had gone silent.

"Ladies and gentleman, we've lost the magic touch" sports newspaper AS said.

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Tags: Madrid

'Ended up humiliated'

Image: Head coach Vicente del Bosque of Spain speaks to his players on the bench
Photographs: Ian Walton/Getty Images

Spain's defeat in Salvador was also only their fourth competitive loss under coach Vicente del Bosque since he took over in 2008 and has triggered speculation of the team's possible premature return to home.

"Spain started the defence of its title without any defence at all and ended up humiliated by Netherlands," sports newspaper Marca said.

Some newspapers took consolation from the fact that Spain also lost their opening game at the 2010 World Cup to Switzerland but eventually went through as group winners.

Spain play Chile in their next Group B match on Wednesday.