According to the popular saying, we learn more from failures than from successes, although this is not always the case. Now, after the triumph of the Spanish men's soccer team in the Euro 2024, we are experiencing a situation not only of joy, but also of almost collective euphoria. As you know, the king of sports has these effects. But the issue has several aspects and deserves a deeper analysis.
First of all, special consideration should be given to the coach Luis de la Fuente. He is hardworking and humble. Trained in lower categories, he is not a glamorous coach. He talks to the players, integrates them. He has managed to put together a good team. I think he is a good representative of the average Spaniard.
The veteran players, some at the end of their sporting careers, have lived up to expectations. Not only in sports, but they have also shown generosity in giving way to the next generation, their collaboration has never been lacking. On the debit side, the cold institutional greeting from the second captain to the president of the government was out of place.
Although all the players have shone brightly, it is worth highlighting, due to their magnificent performance, two very young players - Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams. Both come from African families, sub-Saharan immigrants. From working-class backgrounds, socially integrated. They live precisely in the two autonomous communities - Catalonia and the Basque Country - that promote the most identity politics. Their teamwork and relationships with their teammates disprove the wave of exclusionary, racist and openly xenophobic discourses that some maintain. Tolerance and integration prevail.
There are also players in the national team who have had to leave the country to have their worth recognized. This is the case of Rodri, Dani Olmo or Marc Cucurella. They had few opportunities here and emigrated. Once they are recognized abroad, that is when we consider them. All very Spanish. A situation similar to that of many brilliant young university students, with great scientific and technological preparation, who have no choice but to seek other horizons due to the lack of opportunities in our labor market. We cannot allow this brain drain trained in our universities.
This team is a heterogeneous, diverse and multicultural sports group. With values of tolerance and integration, capable of generating synergies. It represents the plural Spain of the 21st century. With its triumph, we have turned a page in sports and advanced in social terms. It has shown enthusiasm, collaboration and sacrifice. If this were the general pattern of our behavior, things would be different.
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