2013 FIFA Confederations Cup

Yet again Torres gets a golden boot

Think we have witnessed the turning of the tide of Spain's dominance.
They looked lost and have lost  their aura.

Great for all except England as always.

I would say the re birth of brazil rather than Spain falling. They are still an amazing team.

Still makes the brazil draw with England even more stupid. Does that make England better than Spain, Uruguay and Italy!

Think we have witnessed the turning of the tide of Spain's dominance.
They looked lost and have lost  their aura.

Could of said the same after they were beaten by the US in 2009. Still went on to win World Cup, wait see how they fare next year before mentioning the demise of Spain.

Could of said the same after they were beaten by the US in 2009. Still went on to win World Cup, wait see how they fare next year before mentioning the demise of Spain.

Agree.

People are very quick to change opinion and write them off, heard many say that the defeat marked the end of "tiki taka". Merely 2 years after the whole world had a football hard on about them.

Hardly 2 years?!
Spain have been the bench mark for longer than that.
The issue for Spain seems to be up front.
Torres and villa are not what they were so they need to find other options.
Llorente and soldando are good players but not amazingly fast or technical.
Hence that they are at a point where they need to evolve their strategy.
Therefore, as I said, they are not the limitless force they were and hence the tides are changing.
It's an opinion but one based upon not a whim but some knowledge of what I see.

Oh so here we are with our 'distinctively average' side in such a 'crisis' winning one trophy more   

What a game that was. Never seen a crowd so enthusiastic for a Brazil game, though the early goal certainly helped. Brilliant atmosphere. Was there with my girlfriend and my brothers.

I love Neymar. Will be gutted if Paulinho does sign for Spurs as it's been rumored. Fantastic midfielder.

David Luiz and Thiago Silva were immense at the back today.

Early goal and the atmosphere helped Brazil.  Agree with comments that Spain didn't turn up.

Like I said, could have been different if Spain had equalised just before half time.

Weirdly I think Spain losing here makes them even more likely to win the World Cup next year.  Wounded animal and all that.

(PS. Spain won the possession.) 

How fantastic were Brazil last night? I thoroughly enjoyed every. single. minute. of that. Nothing against Spain, just a bit tired of them winning everything haha so enjoyed them getting their ass handed to them. Neymar is going to be a brilliant footballer.

One defeat in a meaningless competition and people are talking about the fall of Spain

Don't think Brazil were all that either to be honest.

I love the Spanish team and don't think they're over either. They had players on the bench that could be starters for Brazil, such as David Silva, Javi Martinez (Luiz Gustavo warms the bench for him at club level), Santi Cazorla and so on. But it's international football, a knockout competition, and people should have learned by now not to underestimate teams like Italy and Brazil because of a few friendlies.

As Julio Cesar said, perhaps too arrogantly, "we respect Spain but football has a hierarchy and we have 5 World Cups".

Brazil have great players individually, we're not so mature as a team yet (the cup final was only the 12th game of Scolari as Brazil coach since he was re-appointed) and we rely perhaps too much on young players such as Oscar and Neymar, but we do have talent in abundance.

I have my concerns about Scolari but it's undeniable that he's a brilliant motivator and that counts a lot in knockout competitions, where everything can happen in one game, especially for a team playing at home with great support from the stands.

For what it's worth though, I think Italy showed they're going to be a definite force next year. I'd be shocked if they weren't in the semi-finals at the World Cup.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2013/jul/01/confederations-cup-spain

One defeat in a meaningless competition and people are talking about the fall of Spain

Don't think Brazil were all that either to be honest.

Spain didn't look very good in their last few games.  My thoughts are it is fatigue because of the temperature.  If any European terms are to do well in world cup they need to be there atleast 4 weeks before it start to get used to the heat.

It wasn't that warm last night. It is winter in the southern hemisphere, remember!
Spain won the World Cup in South Africa... hardly a cold place either.
Blaming the weather is just a bad excuse for failure (one that England embraces every year - even in Germany they were complaining of the heat)

It wasn't that warm last night. It is winter in the southern hemisphere, remember!
Spain won the World Cup in South Africa... hardly a cold place either.
Blaming the weather is just a bad excuse for failure (one that England embraces every year - even in Germany they were complaining of the heat)

This.
I posted after the ET against Italy that Brazil would beat Spain. Brazil pressed in the right places and cut off Spains circuit of passing. The Italians showed the way, Brazil added class on top wich Italy lacked badly .

Again congrats Diego, well deserved. But we did have you sweating for some minutes when you played us, right? My buddy who was at the stadium said when Uruguay scored a knife could cut the silence. Maybe next time we can pull it off (if we ever get to the bloody WC, wich is a long shot as we speak)

Side note, Uruguay lost 9 of the 11 4th place matches its played in its history (including WC 54, 70 and 2010). We usually play great and get beaten (against italy we didnt play that good, but on the bright side Cavani seems to have found form. If Suarez was on his month we could have had a shot, but he wasnt his usual reliable self)

Again congrats Diego, well deserved. But we did have you sweating for some minutes when you played us, right?

Absolutely! That was the most tense game of the competition for us, I was at the Mineirão too and the game itself wasn't too good, but it was very nervous and worth the trip to Belo Horizonte to watch it.

Meant to post this a little while ago.

2 of my least favourite teams. Brasil, can't stand them, and Spain, can't stand them either, way too cocky.

Now saying that, I was not going to watch the final as it was on too late and I had work in the morning, but I started to watch the game. A dangerous move it turned out to be, as the game for me was brilliant.

The way Brasil just out fought, out ran, and out classed Spain was phenomenal. Spain who had been unstoppable for years, Spain who had not lost in ages, Spain the World and European Champions.

The way Brasil kept on trying to score, when the game was won, and not just sit back was admirable, should have been 4 or even 5.

The only negative for me about Brasil was the way Neymar dived and fell at the slightest touch, he needs to man up and stay on his feet, he has the talent.

I'm not afraid to say it but Brasil were worthy winners.