Walter Finch
IT’S not often that fans of the Scotland national team can cheer a comprehensive victory over an established European heavy-weight.
Two goals from Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay on Tuesday night was enough to seal a convincing victory over a Spanish side that had won three international tournaments in a row just a decade ago.
The celebrations at Hampden Park were raucous at the final whistle as Scotland celebrated its most famous victory since defeating France 1-0 in 2007.
Spanish football daily AS complained that Scotland ‘celebrated the victory as if they had won the European Championship,’ adding: ‘And that is not played until next year.’
But they were also more magnanimous towards this Scotland team, lauding them for ‘taking no prisoners’ and ‘fighting for every ball like it were the last.’
But how did the rest of the Spanish media react to the Euro 2024 qualifying match defeat?
The mood around the rest of the Spanish press was very moribund over the defeat for their new coach, Luis De la Fuente, in just his second game in charge.
‘Tiki-Taka is dead’, ‘Dark night at Hampden Park: reality hits Spain and Luis De la Fuente’, and ‘The new Spain is stuck with this plan’ read just a few headlines.
‘Spain, without football or fury, shrink before a Scotland from the last century,’ El Mundo wrote.
‘Scotland destroys the new Spain,’ lamented AS.
El Pais wrote that ‘Spain, rebuilt from head to toe, came out badly in Glasgow, where they hardly said anything and conceded two goals in a bad way.’
One of the curiosities of the game was the post-match interview from Spain captain Rodri, who told local media in English that Scotland’s style of football was ‘rubbish.’
“It’s their way of playing and you have to respect it, but for me it’s a bit rubbish.”
The Manchester City midfielder then went on an astonishing rant against the Scotland team and players that itself will go down as one of the all-time famous post-match interviews.
“Always wasting time; they provoke you, they fall… For me, this is not football.
“For the speed of the game, you have to move on. The referee has to control this, but he didn’t say anything.”
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