Spain's Long Journey
Spain has established itself as a two-time world champion. The ‘tiki-taka’ playing style of the young ‘La Furia Roja’ players proved so formidable that even a superstar like Lionel Messi could not withstand them, leaving Messi to face defeat in tears.
Spain’s success was not an easy journey; it is the fruit of consistent efforts to instil a collective playing style. The flowing ‘tiki-taka’ passing is a daily staple of Spanish football training. From the ages of 8 to 23, players are taught how the Spanish style should be executed—not merely playing a 4-3-3 formation, but learning how to move and where to run, both with and without the ball.
With great patience, coaches across all levels in Spain teach players exactly what to do when they lose possession: how to regain the ball as quickly as possible to maintain control of the game. Practice makes perfect. Continuous, routine training has made Spanish players masters of utilising space and time, blending technical skill with an aesthetically pleasing style of play.
Their patience in breaking down opponents is admirable. Even as 90 minutes pass, Luis de la Fuente’s squad remains consistent in their collective effort to dismantle defences. They do not fear running out of time and continue to press for a goal. Their philosophy of maintaining possession for as long as possible to prevent opponents from controlling the game minimises threats to the Spanish goal. To illustrate, a team like Argentina, a three-time world champion, was unable to threaten Unai Simón’s goal once throughout 120 minutes of play. Spain did not just become world champions; they remained undefeated throughout the tournament and conceded the fewest goals. Out of eight matches in the 2026 World Cup, Rodrigo Hernandez and his teammates conceded only once.
This playing style cannot be easily imitated by other nations. It is not merely a game; it is a culture that has been built into the Spanish character. The key is collective play. Former German captain Philipp Lahm, in an article for The Guardian, stated firmly that Germany, having failed in the last three World Cups, cannot simply mimic the Spanish style if they wish to rebuild their former glory. Because football is tied to a nation’s culture and character, Germany must rely on its own roots—the ‘Turniermannschaft’ (tournament team) mentality.
As a tournament-focused team, Germany traditionally prepares meticulously. Players’ physical conditioning is forged to ensure consistency over 90 minutes, ensuring accuracy in play and penalties. Historically, player selection for ‘Die Mannschaft’ was meticulous, with players occupying the same roles for their national team as they did for their clubs. Formations were finalised before the tournament and refined as the World Cup progressed. However, these habits were disrupted by coach Julian Nagelsmann, who frequently altered formations and player positions, such as moving captain Joshua Kimmich from his usual midfield role at Bayern Munich to right-back for the national team. Consequently, Germany lost their character—the ability to build attacks from the back with a controlled tempo.
While Germany has had legendary figures like Fritz Walter, Franz Beckenbauer, Lothar Matthäus, and Bastian Schweinsteiger, they currently lack a respected midfield general. The attacking prowess once provided by players like Juergen Grabowski, Pierre Littbarski, or Mesut Oezil was also absent in the 2026 World Cup. Leroy Sane, for instance, appeared more like a ballet dancer than a footballer, lacking the ‘panzer’ character characteristic of German players.
If football cannot be separated from a nation’s roots, then what is the character of Indonesian football? This is the true challenge facing the PSSI (Football Association of Indonesia) officials. We cannot simply imitate the styles of world champions, especially since we lack the patience for grassroots development from a young age, often preferring shortcuts.
Coaches such as Tony Pogacnik and Wiel Coerver once built Indonesian football from its cultural roots. They travelled extensively across various regions to find and hone local talent. From the diligence of these two great coaches emerged players like Ramang, Wahyu Tanoto, Kwee Kiat Sek, Soetjipto Soentoro, Iswadi Idris, Abdul Kadir, and Ronny Pattinasarany. Their exceptional dribbling and short-sprint abilities made Indonesian football respected in Asia. Since then, we have failed to build a football identity rooted in our own culture. Driven by the ambition to reach the World Cup finals, we suddenly pivoted towards the Dutch model, even recruiting Dutch-Indonesians, regardless of the ‘Londo Ireng’ label. Yet, the Dutch character since 1974 has been ‘Total Football,’ requiring players to possess perfect fundamental techniques to play in any position.