Is this Spanish side the greatest of all time?

Spain celebrates winning UEFA EURO 2012

As a fantastic Euro 2012 tournament comes to an end, the questions emanating from Ukraine are not ‘is this Spanish side the best in Europe or indeed the world?’ but ‘is this Spanish side the best of all time?’

If you look at bare facts, the argument does carry some weight. Unless you count the Olympics as a major tournament, no side has ever won three massive tournaments in a row; nobody counts the Confederations Cup, and they haven’t conceded a goal in tournament knockout matches for six years or 16 ½ hours of football. Their consistency on the ball, patience in attack, and precision that snipers would be proud of, is the most efficient and perfect way of playing football. If they wanted, they could pass the ball for five minutes, and move forward only an inch.

That style of play is deadly when the opposition feel adventurous but if a side ‘pull a Chelsea,’ and sit back for the entire game, it can lead to boring spectacles. Barcelona can look amazing at times with this style of play because Lionel Messi can create something out of nothing with venomous attacking injections into the game. With due respect to Torres and Fabregas, they simply can’t do that. So Spain take their time, wait for the opposition to tire and then strike. It may not be the prettiest sight but if both sides actually try to win the match outright from the whistle, like Italy tried to do last night, Spain no longer look boring, they look exhilaratingly brilliant.

Spain have now become the second side in history whose play can be summed up with one phrase; tika-taka, joining the ‘total football’ of the Dutch in 1974. Unfortunately, that side were thwarted by the ‘evil’ Germans, and never won that elusive World Cup. But Spain weren’t thwarted by the kick-out tactics of the Dutch two years ago.

Most fans agree this is the greatest team in history

In terms of greatness, only one team comes close, the Brazilian side of 1970. Pele, Jairzinho, Rivelino and Carlos Alberto produced the most awe-inspiring football the world has ever seen, in particular, that goal by Alberto. In terms of the quantity of moments that captured public imagination, this side is almost unbeatable. But they were flawed defensively and because the Copa America wasn’t a bi-annual tournament at that time, they only won a solitary trophy.

When the history writers look at this Spanish team, they will, statistically, call it the best side there has ever been. Three trophies back to back, and with the infrastructure in place, they could remain at the top for the next decade. But how many great moments will the man on the street be able to recall? Almost all football fans can recall the Cryuff turn, the Pele header, the Alberto smash or the Van Basten volley. Whether they will recall the Xavi through ball, I’m not certain. Spain may be the best side the world has seen, but the greatest? Not until they produce a moment like the ones above.