We just got back from the Arena Fonte Nove where the Dutch showed up with a chip on their shoulder and the Spanish looked hungover from lifting the Cup four years ago. As our van crawled through traffic, I asked everyone to make a prediction. There were more votes for Spain than for Netherlands and only a couple of votes for a draw. Most were quite thoughtful picks – 2-1 Spain, 3-2 Netherlands, etc. Much to my surprise, the game ended up closer to the 13-10 prediction from my brother’s 6-year-old. Well, at least Holland looked likely to put 13 past Spain’s shoddy defense and shoddier goalkeeping.
That said, it was a match for the ages and one of the best I’ve had the pleasure of seeing in person. Our crew was decked out in a panoply of Holland Oranje, Spanish Roja, a touch of Brazilian amarelo, and, of course, plenty of red, white and blue for the Yanks. We survived the sweltering walk to the stadium by alternating water (hyrdration) and Brahma beer (dehydration), feeling that incredible sense of anticipation as we closed in on the arena. By game time, the stadium was gorgeous and filled to the rafters. The Spanish fans unfurled a giant flag to make their presence known and then promptly got quiet and remained that way for the rest of the evening. Diego Costa, Spain’s dual-citizen striker who famously chose La Roja over the Selecao this year, was jeered mercilessly by the Brazilians in the crowd from the opening whistle up through his departure mid-way through the second half.
And if the quality of the game wasn’t enough, the Dutch fans showed their usual vervefrom the get-go and grew in enthusiasm and volume as the game went on. By the time the match was in hand for Holland, their fans stuck it to Spain with a rousing series of “Ole’s” as Holland passed around the tiring Spanish defense with ease.
The game really did feel like a changing of the guard. Spain fielded a team almost identical to the eleven who suited up or the Final four years ago, while the Dutch re-built their squad with young talent. You have to wonder if Spain’s coach, Vicente del Bosque, is ruing not starting younger stars like Koke and Isco who perhaps could have kept up better with the Dutch on this night. As it stands, Spain, the team that went from perennial under-performer on the big stage to the dominant team in world football, is staring into the abyss of a group stage exit from the Cup. And all along, I thought the USA was in the Group of Death.