The Pain in Spain

Euro 2008 was supposed to have bridged divides among Spaniards (and Catalans) and eviscerated Spain's history of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Judging by their performance against Switzerland, it didn't. Del Bosque relied on a 4-1-4-1, stupidly giving undue responsibility to Sergio Busquets, who has demonstrated time and time again that he is Barçelona's worst player who starts with regularity. Mistake prone David Silva had to be removed in favor of the more creative and inspiring Jesús Navas. The press seems to think that Spain is trying to act like FC Barçelona by employing a horizontal passing game to wear down opponents and create space on the pitch. They aren't. Barçelona has a directive: use passing and movement to fill and create gaps in defenses, enabling attacking runs to be made. Spain kicked the ball around and hoped for something to happen. When Barçelona fails, the team turns around and regroups for another attack. Spain lacked the mental fortitude to intelligently attack the Swiss fortress. The Swiss showed tremendous heart and balls.

Historically, Spain has not achieved the footballing success of European counterparts Germany, Italy, and France. Moreover, despite its vast empire, Spain never reached the heights of international prestige attained by many of its counterparts during the Scientific Revolution and the Renaissance. While Italy's Mezzogiorno and Germany's East remain markedly poorer than the rest of their respective nations, neither face the kind of perpetual questions of regional and cultural cohesion (or lack thereof) that Catalonia does with Spain. I leave aside the issue of the Basque Country due to my lack of familiarity with its peculiarities.

All this brings me to my recent experiences while watching the Spain game with three Spaniards. They came from different geographies and backgrounds: Málaga in the South, Santander in the North, and the capital, Madrid. The one from Santander is a Barçelona supporter, the other two Madridistas. All three were understandably shocked and devastated by the defeat. They took it very badly. I was reminded of how I felt while watching the brutal Copa America final in 2007, in which Argentina inexplicably lost its cool despite having considerably more talented players than its Brazilian adversaries.

Almost immediately, the Spaniards roundly criticized outgoing Barçelona President Joan Laporta by saying that Laporta was celebrating Spain's loss. Laporta is outspoken in his Catalan nationalism and has expressed a desire for a Catalan national team to be independently recognized by UEFA and FIFA by 2014. A Spain loss, especially by such a talented collection of stars, might help his cause paradoxically. One must question two national teams if Spain can't win with stars from Catalonia already. After all, the majority of the squad plays for Barçelona and many are Catalans. However, Spanish defeats are likely to rile up Catalan support for going it alone.

Rather than expressing animosity toward Catalonia, however, the Spaniards were keen on noting their historical "alliance" and a desire that Catalans maintain and express their own culture. They were distraught that Catalans reject Spaniards and showed great disappointment in the perceived negative attitudes of Catalans toward Spain as a whole. They felt disrespected by Catalans, but not in a fighting manner. It was more a genuine sadness. It was fascinating to listen to such a conversation. As a Barçelona fan, I hear and read the history of animosity between the club and Real Madrid as well as between Catalonia and Madrid. But what I saw was not animosity in the slightest way. It was a profound, innately human desire to be respected and accepted by one's neighbors (and in strictly political terms, one's fellow countrymen!).

Simply put, the "Catalan question" is not black and white. Perhaps my surprise is rooted in genuine ignorance of Spanish history. Though I majored in Political Science and History and am currently working on a Master's Degree in Economics, I have NEVER, at ANY LEVEL OF SCHOOL, studied the Spanish Civil War. Nor have I received classroom instruction on Spain's post- World War II economic miracle. I doubt that this experience is unique. Spanish history seems to be very much its own. Those outside the country probably have little idea as to its complexity. I watched its results play out in dialogue.

My Spanish friends were not satisfied to vent only footballing frustrations, however. The conversation turned to the financial crisis, and the potential successors to José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. The conservative Mariano Rajoy was mentioned, but criticized by the Madrileño for his lack of panache and personality. Other candidates were dismissed as mafiosos. What was evident was great frustration, but a burning desire for Spain to achieve its potential and be recognized as an economic and cultural leader. 

A good start would be by winning tomorrow.