Yet another dominant Spanish side, and yet another success. The Euro Under-21 Championships may not have the glamour the senior competition demands, but make no mistake, this is another vital Spanish triumph on their way to keeping on top. In fact, there was something very special about this Spain Under-21 side.
Spain U-21 were unsurprisingly the team that had the most possession during the tournament with 66.1%. What’s possession if you don’t do anything with it, though? Spain certainly heeded that warning as they fired in the most shots per game with 20. Spain’s midfield was purposeful, and looked to switch play as quickly and assertively as possible. It meant they found advanced players in key positions early, and were able to dominate on the counter as well as over the general run of play. The Koke assist in the final optimised this, as he had no qualms about delivering a direct cross into the penalty for Captain Thiago. Now let’s break down the team…
The Defence
Possession has been the most effective defensive weapon for Spanish teams, and it showed again here. The team conceded just 6.6 shots per game, by far the fewest in the tournament. Prior the final too, they hadn’t conceded a single goal. David De Gea was always there when the defence was penetrated, and he pulled off several vital saves. In front of him the pair of Marc Bartra and Inigo Martínez were imperious until a little bit of trouble against Italy. Still, Martínez managed to make the most passes in the tournament with a total of 447. The Real Sociedad defender, coming off the back of a sensational season, hit 91.9% accuracy too. Both brought an attacking element to Spain’s game, Martinez bringing the ball out of defence and aiming to initiate attacks on the ground. Bartra meanwhile often went long and his excellent 9 accurate long balls per game was the third most at the tournament. The Barcelona man made several excellent runs too, and found himself on the edge of the opponents’ area on a few occasions.
The full-backs are such an important part of the setup, providing the width for the whole team given the freedom of movement the attack has and the fact that those players tend to drift centrally. Alberto Moreno made his U-21 debut in the first game and was a surprise package. He fit in superbly, and covered well when out of position with his speed and upper body strength. He provided the most interceptions on the team with 3.8 per game, while also making 2 tackles per game. It’s been a rapid rise for Sevilla’s full-back who, six months ago, hadn’t even played first team football and still had a youth contract. His 1.3 key passes and 1.3 successful dribbles per game showed the occasion didn’t frighten him and he remained confident.
Function and Flair in Midfield
No one quite impacted the tournament like Asier Illarramendi, and while he operated under the radar at the start, by the end everyone knew who he was. It’s apt he signed off with another industrious, workmanlike performance to quash Marco Verrati’s influence in the final. Selfless and focused, Illarramendi simply wants to do his job. He made on average 2.6 tackles per game, while also making 1.8 interceptions. Often he was seen dropping into the back three too, showing his versatility and ability to view the game ahead of him. Illarra’s positionional play blocked off opponents’ threat and protected his defence, while in possession he switched the ball decisively to the more creative players. His intelligence on and off the ball allowed the likes of Isco and Thiago to play, giving them the freedom and time to shine. His 95.1% pass accuracy was the highest at the tournament of players to make more than 1 appearance.
Koke only came into the team in the second game, but made himself an indispensable component by the end. With Illarra beside him the pair could conduct and control the play from deep, offering Thiago the chance to roam further forward. Atletico Madrid’s young midfielder got an all important assist in the final, while also managing to maintain an impressive 94.8% pass accuracy from 66.8 key passes per game.
The Magic Pair
A team can be often blessed with one genius, but Spain U-21 had the luxury of having a pair of them. They were of course Thiago, who captained the team, and Isco who took upon the Andrés Iniesta role of breaking down walls opponents attempt to place in his way. Thiago led the team with fine maturity, balancing duties by talking to his team-mates and also focusing on his own game. It was perhaps a low-key tournament for him, but under the surface his simplicity and effortless skill kept the team ticking over. A stunning hat-trick in the final to go with his goal in the 2011 final showed his fondness for the big occasion. Thiago completed the second most passes at the tournament with 395, maintaining 93.3% accuracy. His roaming forward was where he did most damage, laying off to team-mates and darting between defensive lines. He hit 2 key passes per game as well as 8.2 accurate long balls showing the variation and vision in his game. There was of course that samba-infused dribbling; he was successful with that on 2.4 occasions per game.
Then there was Isco, named MVP of the tournament by UEFA. The sight of him with trophies, both individual and collective, is something we should probably get used to. The Málaga man, albeit for maybe not much longer, brought about gasps from tournament supporters. His flair, spirit and vision were all on show in Israel. His 3 goals showed his increasing willingness to attack the penalty area, while he remained creative with 3.8 key passes per game – the most of all players at the tournament. His Iniesta-like abilities were shown with his more successful dribbles per game than any other player in the competition (4.8), as he spun and weaved his way past opponents. That drop of the shoulder and contortion of the body from the left were wonderful to watch, and when he popped up centrally something was always on. Few players are on their way to the top quicker than Isco.
More Than a Substitute
Álvaro Morata’s enormous impact from the bench was rewarded with a place in the starting line-up for the final, and no one can say he didn’t deserve it. Four goals across the tournament eventually saw the Real Madrid player pick up the golden boot. Morata took up dangerous positions in the penalty area, and was a focal point with his physical make up and direct movement. Morata was able to pull away from defenders, creating that space for himself – no wonder he had the most shots on goal in the Spain squad with 3.8 per game. Outside the box he proved impressive too, playing back to goal and laying off to the creative players with 1 key pass per game, and 2 assists in total.
Coach Julen Lopetegui emphasised the importance on the collective here, rather than the individual. He’s exactly right too, and for each individual moment of brilliance there was another player in the background making it possible. Spain’s strength not only lies within their depth and style, but also collective features.
