The metronome of Spain’s midfield: Rodri provided the perfect platform for La Roja's next generation to flourish on the world stage. Photo: AFP
Spain's Fifa World Cup triumph will inevitably spark a familiar question: is this the beginning of another era of international dominance?
International football is littered with teams that looked destined to rule the sport till the second coming, only to fall victim to injuries, retirements, changing generations and the unforgiving nature of knockout football. It is no coincidence that no men's team has successfully defended the World Cup since Brazil in 1962.
Perhaps that is the wrong question. Rather than asking whether Spain are about to build a dynasty, we should ask whether they have become the benchmark every other nation must now chase. Based on the evidence of the past two years, the answer is an emphatic yes.
Winning a European Championship can sometimes be dismissed as the product of a favourable draw, a handful of defining moments or a team peaking at exactly the right time — Greece's shock triumph in 2004 being a case in point. Backing it up by conquering the world removes any lingering doubt.
