‘Disaster!’: Spanish Newspapers react to Spain’s World Cup exit on penalties
Spain’s World Cup exit has left a bitter taste back home after Morocco stunned Luis Enrique’s side on penalties.
A campaign in Qatar that started so bright after thrashing Costa Rica, La Furia Roja gradually lost momentum as old issues returned to haunt them.
After 120 goalless minutes at Education City Stadium, a 3-0 shoot-out loss will leave Spain with nightmares, especially in the manner of the draw and then defeat with 77 percent possession, more than 1,000 passes but just one shot on target.
Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets all missed their spot kicks to bow out at the last 16, with Enrique refusing to discuss his future.
The Spanish press are digesting quite what, as Marca put it, this “Spain of horrors” means moving forward.
A second consecutive last 16 exit in World Cups, the Madrid-based paper adds “the balance is terrifying”.
The cold hard reality is that since 2010, Spain have only beaten three modest sides: Australia in 2014, Iran in 2018 and Costa Rica this year.
It is no less than a “fiasco”, Marca adds, while while Mundo Deportivo simply lead with: "World Cup KO".
The headline for AS is “End of!” and they include the line that the Spanish FA has doubts over whether Enrique will want to continue in charge.
While Valencia-based Super Deporte runs with “World Cup Disaster!”
It is not just the sports newspapers who are upset and angry with this performance either: ABC state that this is a "Spain of neither: "No fight, nor ideas or goals."
El Pais notes "Spain succumbs with lots of possession for nothing."
While La Vanguardia adds: “The most impotent Spain returns home,” and elPeriodico describes this as an “Adiós of embarrassment”.
