Spain's European Championship title reign is over, they were well beaten by Italy and came up short when it mattered most.
At a glance
Spain failed to defend their title as Vicente del Bosque did not find the right mix between old guard and new blood.
Highlight
If the 2014 World Cup in Brazil did send a clear enough message, Spain's elimination at the hands of Italy this summer marked the end of a winning generation. Del Bosque's cycle also seems over; the Spanish FA must now find a new coach who brings fresh ideas. With plenty of talent to pick from, the new manager should speed up the transition to a new core of players able to recover the swagger that Spain lost on Brazilian soil and have not recovered yet.
Spain started off the tournament well, with two deserved victories over the Czech Republic (1-0) and Turkey (3-0). The latter became the highlight of the Spanish team's participation in France as they rolled back the years to their dominant 2008-2012 spell with exquisite passing and complete control over proceedings, under Andres Iniesta's direction. The wheels would come off after that.
Low Point
A poorly managed 2-1 loss against Croatia in the last match of the group stage put Spain in the toughest side of the bracket, where they failed to defeat or score against old foes Italy. Although the defeat to Croatia felt unforgivably naive -- most of the team charging forward to score the winner when would have draw sufficed, and then conceding on the counter attack -- the round of 16 represented a new low.
The usually tactically savvy Spain had no answers for Italy, and looked out of their depth for most of the 90 minutes. The team lacked pace, passing rhythm, mobility and suffered physically against a fitter, stronger Italian side. It was an unquestionable defeat that could have been worse if not for David De Gea and left the impression that Spain's midfield talent have lost their magic.
Star man
Iniesta finished one of his best seasons ever with a couple of majestic displays at the beginning of the tournament. While the diminutive midfielder felt physically powerful, Spain looked the threatening team many expected. His movement, skill and ability to involve his teammates is second to none and, with the right support, he should lead this team to the next World Cup.
However, at 32, the team can't count on the maestro for much longer than that. With younger blood like Thiago Alcantara waiting on the sidelines, one of Spain's biggest challenges lies in how to orchestrate the transition from what remains of Iniesta's generation -- including players such as Sergio Ramos (30), David Silva (30) and Cesc Fabregas (29) -- to a new set of players.
Lessons Learned
Spain managed to defeat physically stronger sides when their diminutive midfielders were young (2008) or had enough support from two excellent defensive midfielders (2010 and 2012) in the shape of Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets. After that, though, Silva, Iniesta and Fabregas have not been able to cope with more intense midfields, and Spain have struggled to exert real control over key matches. New blood, a second defensive midfielder, or both, seem necessary to reach the final stages of the 2018 World Cup.
On top of that, Del Bosque's relaxed approach might have worked out in previous tournaments, but it's now apparent that has lost a great deal of the players' trust.
More preparation and less improvisation will also help. After eight years at the helm, Del Bosque used an untested formation (a classic 4-4-2), in the second half of the final defeat against Italy. That speaks volumes for the poor level of tactical planning and the lack of proven alternatives for specific match situations. In summary, new blood and a new approach is required at all levels.