La Absoluta 2022

"On the 1 st of July 2012, the French newspaper Le Parisien published that The Reds were "The most beautiful team in history" and the British Guardian dubbed them "the greatest team of all time." It was also the most successful team there had ever been. Never before had a national side managed to consecutively win a World Cup and two European Championships. But it was not always so. The same media that would eventually praise the Spanish side had ridiculed them for decades. They were portrayed as perennial losers, a notion popularised by Alfredo Di Stéfano when he quipped that "we played like never before but lost like we always do." No one had ever believed in Spain. But the friendship between the young Madrid player Iker Casillas and the young Barcelona player Xavi Hernández, captained by Luis Aragonés and surrounded by the best players of their generation, changed the team's mindset and the country's history. But the journey to success was far from easy. Aragonés immediately clashed with the previous generation of football players for the leadership of the Spanish locker room. This struggle almost stopped The Reds in their tracks and there was also a strained relationship with the press, which repeatedly demanded that Aragonés step down. Worst of all, there was serious strife between the Real Madrid and FC Barcelona players. The growing tension between both clubs even threatened the friendship between Iker Casillas and Xavi Hernández and jeopardised the collective spirit and future of the national side."

David Villa

Pepe Reina

Íker Casillas

Fernando Torres