MADRID, Dec. 7 (.) –
The Spanish men’s soccer team arrived in Madrid this Wednesday afternoon from Doha after being eliminated in the Qatar 2022 World Cup on Tuesday against Morocco in the round of 16, an unexpected end to the goal of going far and looking for a second star.
The world champion in 2010 left another fiasco in the World Cup as happened in Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018. In Qatar, Luis Enrique Martínez’s team, who will discuss his continuity in the coming days with the Royal Spanish Football Federation ( RFEF), lost on penalties in the round of 16 to its African neighbor, who had come to the crosses as a revelation.
The Spanish delegation left Doha early in the morning and landed at the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport around five in the afternoon. Neither the media nor the few fans present were able to see or speak to the players as they exited through the executive terminal after landing at T4.
Several footballers stayed in Doha, taking advantage of the holidays that Spanish players will now have before the resumption of the national leagues. Back in Barajas, through the windows it was possible to see Luis Enrique saying goodbye with hugs to his family, while the sports director of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), José Francisco Molina, left through the normal terminal but without leaving statements.
The team, which also traveled with the president of the RFEF, Luis Rubiales, at the helm, parted ways in Barajas, from where they left on November 15 for Qatar, after passing through Jordan for a friendly. ‘La Roja’ then came out with high spirits and the ambition to reach the final and fight for a second star, but soon the alarms went off.
After the placid debut against Costa Rica, Spain drew with Germany and lost with Japan. However, as second in Group E, the path pointed to an affordable one for Luis Enrique’s men: Morocco and Portugal or Switzerland in the round of 16 and quarterfinals. Before the Moroccans the Spanish dream ended, which turned into a nightmare once again.
