This has been a World Cup for remembrances. Of Diego Maradona, Paulo Rossi, Gerd Mueller and Pele who hasn’t travelled. Of Grzegorz Lato: he lives a retired life and is ready to give interviews about the World Cup, said a Polish journalist of the 1974 Golden Boot winner. On Sunday, it was also about Luis Enrique’s daughter Xana who would have turned 13 on the day Spain played out a 1-1 draw against Germany at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Maradona has been present in flags holding the World Cup with a smile brighter than the noon sun. He was referred to by Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni two years to the day he died. According to Argentine Sergio Levinsky, who has written a book on him and is here for his 10th World Cup as a journalist, the journey having begun in 1986, though his absence is a relief for Lionel Messi. “Imagine him being at the stadium when Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia,” he said here on Sunday.
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Like Maradona, Rossi, the Golden Boot and Golden Ball winner of 1982 died in 2020. Italy are not here but you will find enough people of a certain vintage at stadium media centres reminiscing about into his hattrick against Brazil in 1982 usually when conversations veer to an upset result. Ditto Mueller, who died in August 2021, especially after Niclas Fuellkrug, who was playing in the Bundesliga second division in 2021, kept them breathing with a striker’s goal reminiscent of Der Bomber.
Enrique was asked in English about Xana, who died in August 2019 after a nine-month battle with a rare form of bone cancer. It had brought about a unique show of solidarity from East Bengal and Mohun Bagan’s Spanish coaches, Alejandro Menendez and Kibu Vicuna saying their thoughts were with his family before talking about a Kolkata derby.
“For something so personal, I would prefer speaking in Spanish,” he said. “You try to live with the situation normally,” said the Spain coach. “We laugh and think about how she would react in each situation we experience.” Enrique said Xana is still present among them every day “even though we don’t have her physically. Life is not just about happy moments. It is also about knowing how to manage moments such as these,” he said.
Enrique and Hansi Flick had hugged “three times”, a journalist pointed out to the Germany manager before asking what they spoke about. “Let that stay private for now,” said Flick. “I appreciate him as a coach and as a player. He is a great guy and I like the way he gets Spain to play.”
The mutual respect was evident in how the teams had squared off; Germany’s life being made a touch easier by Costa Rica beating Japan earlier in the day. “I think we deserved a point,” said Flick describing the contest as one where both teams were on the same level. Spain know how to play football and started well but we pushed back. This is what we want to see in the next match,” said Flick.
Enrique said it was “bit sad” that they couldn’t seal qualification to the round of 16 which they would have had Dani Olmo’s shot not been saved by Manuel Neuer in the seventh minute and then Nico Schlotterbeck not intercepted Alvaro Morata while the striker was on goal. “But I am happy that in such a difficult group we are now at the top.”
The determination Flick spoke of was summed up by Fuellkrug’s effort. Thomas Mueller as lone striker wasn’t making an impact and Spain were leading by Alvaro Morata’s excellent flicked effort in the 63rd minute when Flick made a triple substitution, Leroy Sane and Lukas Klostermann being the other two, in the 70th minute. Thirteen minutes later, Germany were level. “It is too early to say whether Fuellkrug will start against Costa Rica but he showed he knows how to smash goals,” said Flick. “I know him, he is a very good striker,” said Morata. “I hope we don’t have to face him again,”
Flick didn’t forget to point out that Sane could have won the game for Germany. Sane didn’t start because given his recent injury, Flick said he wasn’t sure “he would be able the maintain the intensity of 90 minutes.” Deep in the second half, Sane was through on goal with only Unai Simon to beat but the Spain keeper cut out the angle for a cut-back to Fuellkrug.
With Spain nearly through, Enrique was asked whether he would field his best 11 against Japan. “I can tell you we will not speculate about the result. Whoever plays, we will play to win against Japan,” he said.
Not keen on talking about individuals – asked whether Morata was a role model, the Spain coach said all 26 players here were – Enrique made an exception for 34-year-old Sergio Busquets. Part of the World Cup winning campaign in 2010, Enrique said he would request the midfielder to stay for another World Cup. “We only improve when he is on the field,” he said.