WORLD CUP - SPAIN RIDES TO CHAMPIONSHIP TWICE - SIXTEEN YEARS APART

 WORLD CUP - SPAIN RIDES TO CHAMPIONSHIP TWICE -  SIXTEEN YEARS APART

GEOMETRY, TRIANGLES AND TACTICAL NUANCES - THE KEYS

The final match of the 1974 FIFA World Cup was held in Munich, West Germany                    (now Germany).. It was the 10th FIFA World Cup competition. It was between                        The Netherlands and West Germany, the hosts. 

West Germany won the game 2 - 1.

The Netherlands opened the scoring via a Johan Neeskens penalty in the second minute. Paul Breitner equalised the score with another penalty in the 25th minute. Gerd Muller scored the winning goal in the 43rd minute claiming West Germany's second FIFA World Cup title. 

The captain of the Netherlands during the 1974 FIFA  World Cup was the legendary Johan Cruyff. He wore the iconic number 14 jersey. He led the team to the tournament's final and won the Golden ball as the the best player of the competition, scoring three goals and providing three assists.

Cruyff was the centrepiece of manager Rinus Michel's revolutionary tactical system -              Total Football.

Those were the days the television was yet to become universal in India. We followed major events on the Radio. I still remember following the World Cup in 1974 on the Radio and the astounding march of the Netherlands captained by Johan Cruyff to the final. 

The concept of 'Total Football' was quite new to football at that time.

If we put it succinctly, Cruyff and his team had pulverised or in other words steamrollered the opposition with their innovative brand of 'Total Football.' The stride resembled the march of France to the Semifinal of the World Cup 2026. They were so authentic we could see the rest of the competitors was no match for their style of play. We felt they'd walk away with the trophy. No they didn't. There roller coaster ride was halted by Spain who laid emphasis on possession football. In fact a TV commentator had aired," Spain does best in holding the ball."

There was a time when Spain was not a big name in football though they had famous clubs. But the arrival of Johan Cruyff in Catalonia first as a player and later as the coach of              FC Barcelona had revolutionised football in Spain.

Cruyff brought the triangle into play in Spanish Football. His obsession with possession  - he knew his team had lost to West Germany in 1974 due to the neglect of possession football in their all consuming Total Football - led him to develop a model based on traingles. It meant, regardless of his position on the pitch, a player has to position himself to keep forming geometric shapes, thus enabling him to offer a teammate more than one passing option. 

The Dutch legend, who had been the focal point of Rinus Michel's Total Football, had once said, "It isn't the man on the ball who decides where the ball goes, but the players without the ball." ..

Cruyff sprinkled the stardust of this idea across Spanish football's mind space and went on to form his dream team project. 

It has now changed hands - from Pep Guardiola to Vicente del Bosque to Luis Enrique to Luis de la Fuente who had recently led Spain to its Second World Cup in 2026, 16 years after the first in 2010.

The triumph of Geometry has been the calling card in Spain, synonymous with the advent of Johan Cruyff in Spanish football. It has provoked debate, entertained and even annoyed its audience, but has never been abandoned. While Tiki Taka had led to the initial triumph of Spain 16 years ago in 2010, an improved version of Tiki Taka had powered them to victory in the final in 2026.

Unfotunately, France, who were the overwhelming favourites, had run into Spain in their dazzling best at the most inappropriate time. They had been outthought and outfought in every aspect of the game.

In the face of Spain's passing masterclass with all those manifestations of Euclidian Geometry, Mbappe with his ethereal speed was sucked into the surrounding nothingness, stuck in a stagnant space. To put it plainly, France were totally unaware what had hit them.

Spain is a team that is easiest to analyse but always the hardest to defeat with their innovative and dynamic football. It is a team that is infused with the winner's mentality. 

There are times when art doesn't have to defeat anyone. This is when the game elevates itself and transcends the result.

With inputs from Nilesh Bhattacharya in The Times of India of 16 July 2026

COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2026 GLASGOW DISCUS THROW SEEMA KALIRAMNA WINS BRONZE

SEEMA KALIRAMNA WINS BRONZE - DISCUS THROW - COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2026 GLASGOW

Seema Kaliramna narrates how she took to athletics:

"I was not interested in sports. But my PT teachers used to ask me to get the discus from the store room. One day I just threw the discus and it fell at a good distance. When my PT teacher saw that, he asked me to start training in discus throw."

"But my actual interest grew when I started getting water bottles, slippers and chocolates as awards for my wins at the school level meets."

And see where it landed her.

The Haryana discus thrower,27, mother of a four year old, pursuing PhD in Physical Education, hailing from Bhiwani, threw the discus at Glasgow in the 2026 Commonwealth games to the Bronze Medal, reaching 58.65m in her third attempt. It was a great effort especially when the Gold and the Silver went to throws of 61.66m and 60.67m respectively.

When queried how she felt, she said,"It is such a good feeling.  I feel all the hardships that we had gone through as a family in the last few years have been compensated with the gift in the form of a medal."

As she stated, it was 'Gifts' that had made her stick on to athletics.

Her parents had extended special treatment to her when she started winning medals while at school. She confides,"We are three siblings and because I started competing, my mother began making me milkshakes and my father made sure we never ran out oranges and other fruits."

However, her parents married her off six years after she had picked up the discus, ignoring that she had been progressing well through various levels in the sport.

But her husband had different ideas. 

"Though I was married, the training didn't stop. My husband took me to the ground the next after our wedding."

An year after getting married, just before the Covid lockdown began, Seema suffered a knee injury..

"The doctors said I needed surgery, but we wanted some rest. And while we took the break,we thought of utilising the time by planning our baby."

Seema Kaliramna is all praise for her husband who has been helping her with the training.

"He is my physio, my coach, my masseur along with being my husband."

Seema has just begun. 

She can go a long way.

Based on report in the Times of India of 1 August 2026

FRANCO BARESI THE ITALIAN LEGEND PASSES AWAY

Franco Baresi, the iconic sweeper and captain,  who embodied ACMilan's dominance in the 1980s and 1990s, is no more. He  passed away at the age of 66. The 'Johan Cruyff' of defenders', he was known as the Field Marshal in football.

A one club man throughout his career, he had been widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders in football history.

Baresi wore Milan's number 6 shirt with such distiction that the club withdrew the number after his retirement.

Born in Travagilato, near Bresica, Baresi overcame personal tragedy at a young age after he and his brother Giuseppe were orphaned as teenagers. While Inter Milan signed Giuseppe, Franco joined their local rivals. It was a bond that had lasted a lifetime. He made his debut as a teenager and had quickly established himself as a first team regular. 

Despite a slight physique for a defender, he compensated with his exceptional technique, anticipation,tackling ability and leadership. Those qualities earned him the captain's armband at the age of 22. He was one of the youngest captains in Milan's history.

When Milan had been relegated to Serie B twice in the early 1980s, he remained loyal during the turbulent years. He guided the club back to the top flight each time.

In 1982, with Italy,  he became a World Cup winner , although he did not play during the tournament in Spain.

Baresi marshelled a formidable defence when Milan entered its Golden era in 1986.

Marco van Basten who had played along with him described him as 'The Johan Cruyff of defenders.'

Paolo Maldini, another teammate, wrote:

"You protected me when I was a child, guided me as a young man and inspired me as an adult. You were the gratest footballer I ever had the honour of playing with."

Franco Baresi, truly, remains among the game's all time greats

Based on report in the Times of India of 1 August 2026

GULVEER SINGH - MEN'S 10000m SILVER MEDALLIST 2026 COMMONWEALTH GAMES GLASGOW

 

GULVEER SINGH - MEN'S 10000m SILVER MEDALLIST 2026 COMMONWEALTH GAMES GLASGOW

Gulveer Singh, competing in the men's 10000 metres final won the Silver Medal, clocking 27:49.78s behind Australia's Ky Robinson 27:48.93s in the 2026 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow. It was obvious that he had lost the Gold medal by a few whiskers

He is the first Indian to win a medal in the event. 

He joins the late Milkha Singh and Aravind Sable, both of whom had won non-relay medals at the Commonwealth games before him.

Gulveer Singh, 28, was born in Sirsa Village, Aligarh, UP. He is a Naib Subedar in the Grenadier regiment of the Indian Army.

A decade ago all Gulveer knew was to run. Running to help his father at the farm and running errands for his family. He ran to get selected in the Indian Army. He hoped he could thus stop running. Howewver running never stopped for Gulveer.

"After I joined the Army, I was told about sports and that I would get a promotion if I won medals. I started running and I was shifted to the Army Sports Institute in Pube, where I staretd to train for competitions."

Call it, muscle memory or sheer talent, Gulveer adapted quickly and started winning races and winning medals.

Perha[ps it is the intrinsic nature of his chosen sport, that in running as in life Gulveer believes in keeping things simple. 

"I know it is my job to run and I want to do my job well," he said after winning the Silver.

"All I was thinking about yesterday was how to win a medal. I was not thinking about anything else during the whole race."

"I have been training in the US on and off for many months now. It is my responsibilty to train well and win medals."

"I eat and sleep," was his reply when queried what he liked to do when he was not running.

The humble man he is, Gulveer says he owes a lot to fellow Army man and long distance runner, Karthik Kumar, Asian Games Silver Medallist. 

"Whatever I know today,has been taught by Kartik bhai. He tells me everything, right from what I should eat, how I should train and run." "He has been an inspiration."

But beneath all that humility, there lies a competitivr streak. Asked if there was any other athelete who had inspired him, Gulveer replied,"I aim to become big enough to inspire others rather than aspiring to become like someone."

Based on a report in The Times of India of 31 July 2026

Gulveer Singh didnot stop with that.

He added a bronze to his collection partaking in the 5000m race. He bacame the first Indian to win two athletic medals at a single Commonwealth Games.

Times of India of 3rd August 2026 reports that if the 10000m tested Gulveer's endurance, the 5000m demanded patience and precision, qualities he displayed throughout the race.

HOW IS SPAIN BEATABLE? OLIVER KAHN

The legendary German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn describes Spain's Unai Simon as calm and dependable. He confirms that  Argentina's Emiliano Martinez  has great presence of mind, enormous reflexes and has the conviction that he is one of the best goal keepers in the world.

Kahn continues,"If Martinez hadn't made that save in the 119th minute in the 2022 World Cup final, Messi would not have become a world champion."

According to Kahn, the final between Argentina and Spain was a clash of footballing philosophies.

"This game was a match between rational guys playing super smart football against fully emotional, aggressive guys playing a totally different style."

And despite watching an entire tournament looking for flaws, Kahn was left with the same question,"I've asked myself the whole tournament - how is Spain beatable?"

Argentina tried to answer it, but had failed miserably.

Oliver Kahn knows better than most how decisive a goalkeeper can be. His mistake in the 2002 World Cup final against Brazil still lingers.

"It took a long time to recover," he admits.

"I played six and a half games perfectly without any mistake. Then there was only one situation, one small mistake and it was over." .

TACTICS - INSTINCT - MENTALITY

 

We should never overrate tactics.

Tactics should not overshadow instict and mentality.

"You definitely need tactics where it matters. However you need  the right people  and the right mentality to achieve the aims of the organisation."

"Everybody knows their role, but at the end you need human beings with great mentality inside your tactical system.'

THE HYPE ON RIVALRY BETWEEN TWO GREATS

The media had been full of reports on the great rivalry between Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi.

But there was no such rivalry.

Finally it turned out Messi is the role model of Yamal.

It was clearly visible when Yamal walked upto Messi and hugged him. It was after the match. A dejected Messi was sitting on the pitch after the loss in the final. 

Messi reached out as Yamal stood before him. 

They hugged each other.