There was no TV coverage of last night´s World Cup qualifier between Belarus and Spain. The price of TV rights was pitched too high by some greedy company and Spanish TV collectively refused to buy. So I along with thousands of other La Roja fans were left with the only option of listening to the game live on Spanish radio.
I tuned in , driving back to Barcelona from Madrid, across Castile and Aragon, over terrain that held together in its diversity, like a patchwork-delighted to hear the commentary praising Barca and Real Madrid players interconnecting in a flowing rhythm of possession and passing football and beautifully creative goals-one by Jordi Alba, a hat-trick by Pedro.
Tuned in to the footie, I forgot for a moment the deep political divisions that afflict the Spanish state, from region to region, from Catalan to Castilian, from club to club. Against this, how does one explain the coherence and spirit of the Spanish national team? They draw it from within themselves, this sense of common purpose, of being better at it than anybody else, knowing how to win, with grace, one for all , all for one.
While the media & politicians revel in conflict and breakup, the team marches on, as you say; one for all, all for one.
I think you missed out on the key element: management & leadership. Its not just about the players. If with La Roja you have Del Bosque, the technical team and the Federation all backing an objective and the manner it can be achieved, then professionales (yes, in this case, the best), play the script out.
The difference with the Spanish nation model is that in the later, there is no leadership or agreed objective. You have a Poliburo of funcionarios from all parties operating in an ivory tower and the media throwing wood onto the fire (classic example is “Catalan Independance”): one only interested in winning votes and remaining in power, the other in readers which equals advertising revenue. The exact opposite of the football scenario, 2 self-interested and self-appointed power centres with millions of “players” totally confused and exploited……
The underlying (and sad) truth is that La Roja is distracting us from the real issues. Yes, a wonderful example of how it can be done, but it allows us to dream away, rather than act, as all around us is falling to pieces……..