When they lost the European Championship final to France in 1984 following a terrible goalkeeping mistake from the normally reliable Luis Arconada, some even made the absurd suggestion that he had made the error on purpose because he was Basque and did not want Spain to win. There had always been rumours about friction and conflict between players from different clubs and regions in Spain. It was the start of something remarkable.
That night in Northern Ireland convinced him things had to change. Three months on, Aragones knew something had to be done. But once again the optimism disappeared, this time following a last-16 defeat at the 2006 World Cup by an ageing France side many felt were entirely beatable. Luis Aragones, the La Liga veteran appointed national team manager in 2004, had begun his reign with a promising 25-game unbeaten run. Since winning their only title - the 1964 European Championship - they had only once progressed beyond the quarter-finals of a major tournament. This was a side who had flattered to deceive for years. No-one back home was particularly surprised.
#EVERYONE HAS A STORY HE SAW JESUS SERIAL#
On 6 September 2006, in front of 14,500 fans at Windsor Park, Spain's serial underachievers once again came up short, losing 3-2 to Northern Ireland in a Euro 2008 qualifier. This is the story of the most successful team of modern international football. But they have a long way to go to match the achievements of their illustrious predecessors. Now, Luis Enrique and his Euro 2020 squad are attempting to reassert Spain's position at the top of the European football pecking order. And in the decade or so that has followed, those familiar feelings have returned - in the previous three tournaments they have either been eliminated at the group stage or in the last 16. Prior to those glory years Spain had endured disappointment after disappointment.
But that period of dominance was the exception rather than the rule.
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