A NATION divided is now united. And, no, we're not talking about South Africa.
Spain, a serial underachiever, is one shot from glory. The pundits' favourite to lift the World Cup for the first time. And the people's favourite back home. They're celebrating on Las Ramblas and the Plaza Mayor. A national team, in the truest sense. For how long? Who cares. But right now, all of Spain is behind ''La Roja''. The power of football, and the scent of success.
Spain is a country riven, historically, by the great political and cultural divide between the Catalans and the Castillians. Not to mention the Basques and the Galicians. Its football culture has been defined by the deep, abiding, hatred between Barcelona FC and Real Madrid. But all Spanish fans have one thing in common. An enduring frustration with failure. It's been 60 years since Spain re-entered the international arena. Since Real Madrid and, more recently, Barcelona, became the benchmarks for club football. But in that time, the national team has consistently flattered to deceive.
Hands up if you remember Estanislao Basora? The Barcelona forward scored five goals in the 1950 World Cup, but Spain went out in the second round. Perhaps you might remember Marcelino Martinez, the Real Zaragoza striker who got his head to the ball to help Spain win the 1964 European crown. Until two years ago, when Spain won the European title for a second time, that was the only trophy in the cabinet. For a nation with such a rich football tradition, the hall of fame is scandalously small.
Vicente del Bosque is the coach who has changed everything. Perhaps because he comes from Castile and Leon, an autonomous province that promotes linguistic and cultural harmony, he's been able to bring the various groups together. The first player to congratulate Carles Puyol - the captain of Barcelona - when he scored the goal to win the semi-final was Sergio Ramos, who plays for Real Madrid. This is a team in the truest sense of the word. No egos, no in-fighting. Del Bosque hasn't changed much at all since he took over two years ago - at least in terms of tactics and personnel - but he has brought a calming influence. And it shows.
Italy, France, Brazil and England have all gone home with a whiff of disharmony in the air. Spain is into the final because it has been forged by the sense of mission. To right the wrongs of the past, when Spain was routinely tipped to do great things but failed to achieve even the smallest ambitions.
The modern Spain, it must be said, is blessed with arguably the greatest generation of players in its history. Between 2007 and 2009, it didn't lose in 35 games. A world record. Since then, it has lost just twice. Spain's campaign could have spiralled into a vortex of self-doubt and recriminations. Instead it has bounced back. Opportunity is knocking like it's never knocked before, and finally Spain is ready to take it.
