Barcelona’s magical midfield trio of Sergio Busquets, Pedri and Gavi were on top form as Spain demolished Costa Rica 7-0 in their World Cup opener. It felt like Luis Enrique had turned the clock back to 2010, when the Spanish tika-taka’d their way to World Cup glory and the teenage duo, guided by one of the all-time greats, were at the heart of it all.
Pass. Pass. Pass. Pass. Pass.
No, not my answers on Mastermind, but the methodology of this Spanish team. Four years ago they had slightly lost their way and after two consecutive penalty shootout exits from major tournaments, will be key to make a major impact here.
Gavi at just 18, and Pedri, who turns 20 in two days time, will be the beating heart of this team for the next decade. This was their World Cup debut, on the biggest stage of the lot, and they made it look like they were having a kick-about at the park. Simple football. But football that works for this group of players.
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It shouldn’t be a surprise to see them shine with a red shirt on, given they have had the greatest schooling at Barcelona. Even accepting their recent struggles, playing for the Blaugrana from such a young age brings huge responsibility, and has forced these two to grow up quickly.
Busquets, 34, is the senior statesman of this midfield trio, but he’s still so damn good. Having a presence like him alongside Gavi and Pedri, allows them to play their natural game, as he provides the defensive insurance, not that Spain needed it in this game.
Costa Rica were painfully poor, showing no aggression or fight that earned previous underdogs Saudi Arabia and Japan famous wins. Even so Spain simply passed them to death, but with a cutting edge that many critics felt they were lacking ahead of the tournament.
Pedri played a wonderful ball over to Dani Olmo who volleyed just wide within five minutes, Asensio passed one wide of the post before after huge pressure Spain finally got their 100th World Cup goal. Gavi played a ball through that found Dani Olmo under pressure, but he took a wonderful first touch before lifting the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.
Marco Asensio, placed in the central striking role then doubled the lead for his nation. The ball was brilliantly played across by Jordi Alba and Asensio swept it home, past the grasp of Keylor Navas.
Alba was then in the thick of the action again as his heel was clipped in the box by a Costa Rican defender and Ferran Torres slotted the resulting penalty home. In the first half, with 80% possession, Spain smashed another record.
They completed 537 passes, the most in a first half of a World Cup game since records began in 1966. The second highest total? Germany (422) against Japan a couple of hours earlier.
In the second half, Torres doubled his individual tally with a close range finish after even more Spanish dominance. Then, Gavi added the best of the lot. Morata picked him out on the edge of the box with a cross and he met it with a wonderful volley that went in off the post. It was a goal to round off a magnificent performance and with it he became the youngest World Cup goalscorer since Pele in 1958. Carlos Soler and Alvaro Morata added the extras to deliver a huge win, as Spain got off to a flying start.
This team will face much tougher challenges, Germany are up next which will provide a good barometer for where they are at, but this was a perfect opening for Spain.
Tika-taka is back in fashion. And this time it is being driven by two teenage superstars.
