Álvaro Morata, MVP in the most interesting duel of this World Cup so far, said that it could have been a final.
Spain and Germany, two of the last three world champions, met in the group stage because Germany did not perform well in qualifying and did not finish as the top seed.
After losing to Japan, Germany survived a critical situation.
The 1-1 was a fair result between two great footballing nations whose styles could hardly be more different.
They showed their well-known strengths and revealed their weaknesses in an almost stereotypical way.
The tie helps both to have a very good starting position in their last matches against Japan and Costa Rica.
Spain and Germany are once again among the five teams with options for the title.
Spain, as expected, is celebrating its football culture in Qatar.
His strong point is his clear style of possession of the ball in attack, with the pass as the central element.
I know it, I myself have been exposed to it in my career.
All Spanish coaches have internalized this idea, all the players in the current starting XI systematically put it into practice, including those in defense.
It is an idealistic idea of football in which everyone can do anything and that requires intelligence from everyone.
That's always nice to see and success has proven Spain right for almost two decades.
Smaller soccer nations like Costa Rica can barely get close to Spain because they can hardly ever have the ball.
The same should happen with Japan.
Against Germany, Spain was strategically and technically superior for a long time.
However, sometimes the Spanish go too far.
So they suffer complicated situations, even in the area, even the goalkeeper.
This makes them vulnerable against opponents who are strong in innings and have competitive toughness.
The physical is not a priority in Spain.
So Luis Enrique's team runs the risk of being beaten at their own game.
Above all because they are very homogeneous, but a group always lives on individualists.
I think of the team around Carles Puyol, Sergio Ramos, Xavi and Andrés Iniesta, as well as scorers like Fernando Torres and David Villa.
They beat us in 2008 and 2010.
Spain became strong against the Germans during the match with an extremely risky build-up game.
Luis Enrique rightly said that Germany came closer to victory at the end.
It also seems questionable to me that you can win the cup if you don't show an adequate reaction to standard situations.
It was lucky for Spain that Antonio Rüdiger was minimally offside when he scored a header in the first half.
The profile of Germany is different.
The Germans need a break, they are especially dependent on preparation prior to the tournament, which this time was very short.
In the first game against Japan, Hansi Flick did not rely on players with extensive international experience to substitute for him.
There was a disagreement and the game was lost.
It didn't take long for Germany to be knocked out after two games.
Things were better against Spain.
In the course of the match, the team was able to find itself.
It was important for the center to gain stability: Niklas Süle and Antonio Rüdiger in defense, plus Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Ilkay Gündoğan in midfield.
With Manuel Neuer, these six players are now the German lynchpin.
The rest is variable.
However, Süle and Rüdiger and the whole team could defend in a more organized way.
Jordi Alba and Álvaro Morata took advantage of this lack to score the goal.
But the fight and the passion compensate a lot.
In attack, Flick can call on some players with international experience.
And a pretty new face.
The fans love Jamal Musiala.
He is a very technical player who holds the ball very well.
In the last third of the field, he does things that are difficult to anticipate.
And Niclas Füllkrug could continue to surprise as a wild card.
He simplifies the team's game because he is a clear and carefree center forward.
However, it is not clear how good the eleven is.
It is the unpredictable amount among the favorites.
It may be eliminated soon, but once you get going and develop a belief, anything is possible.
His claim to
him Die Mannschaft
(the team) was abolished because he was frowned upon at home.
However, he describes German football very well.
There are many topics, including that of the
Turniermannschaft
(the tournament team).
One for all, all for one.
This spirit is what matters in all teams, in country teams even more than in club teams.
It's less about the bonuses and more about giving something back to your country.
That's how I've always felt as a player.
Who are you playing for and why?
Only those who find good answers to these questions can be the winners in the end.
However, a tournament with knockouts is more difficult to predict than a league.
So, is Morata right, can there be a final between Spain and Germany?
Yes, it does, of course I'd love to.
Although I think that France has more chances because they are the one that best balances the elements of structure, talent and physique.
We must not forget Brazil, which is a very strong team individually.
Argentina was unfairly ruled out in my opinion.
One difference compared to 2014, when Argentina lost to us in the Maracanã final, has to do with Lionel Messi.
Back then, the attitude was: He will save us.
Now the team plays for him.
Also, he can set the tone at 35 years old.
That is very exciting.
At first, the World Cup in Qatar was marked by political debates.
Rightly so, but now I think everything has been said.
Now that the round of 16 arrives, it is a soccer tournament, a peaceful competition between nations.
And this is good.
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