By Arka Dyuti Palit

AIFF Media Team

KOCHI: Spain’s fortunes in the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 have been somewhat mixed. They lost their opener to Brazil before hammering Niger. A stiff encounter against North Korea was followed by a cliff-hanger against France in the Round of 16. But as they gear up to face Iran in the Quarter Final, Spaniards are hopeful that team might be the batch they have been waiting for.

“There is hope surrounding these boys. We made it to the U-17 World Cup after a long time and I think we have the capability and footballing prowess to make it to the Top 3 for sure”, declared Seville resident, Andrés Martínez.

Martínez, a systems engineer is here in India with his aunt Jennifer Miguela. “Top 3 is too little. We will win the Championship”, was the war cry from Miguela.

Spain which saw a Golden Phase in terms of both the Senior National and the U-17 team the past decade failed to qualify for the past 3 editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. They had finished 3^rd in 2009 and are now back in the mix after 8 years.

“Do you know what it is to be a bridesmaid?” asks fellow traveller Madeline Acosta. “I know you don’t but I do. It’s like you are at the party, dressed all pretty but you are not the one being celebrated, you are not the one getting married and getting presents and all the attention is on the bride. That’s Spain in the U-17 World Cup”, she summaries.

She is not incorrect. Out of the 9 times they have qualified, Spain have been the runners-up thrice in 1991, 2003 and 2007. They have also finished in the third place in 1997 and 2009.

A few school kids run by the Fort Kochi beach walkway at this point of time. The old trained eyes of Miguela light up as she exclaims, “You see these kids, they need the right kind of nurturing to grow up and be succesful. Our team too needs the same”. The grandmother of eight quite rightfully displays her understanding of the world.

So what is it with the final hurdle? “I don’t know. We have won the European Championships. And anyone who knows anything about football knows how equally tough it is to win one. Yes the physicality might be lesser than that of the African teams as well as the flair and skills of South America but we are proven winners. Maybe because the World Cup is a grander stage”, says Martínez.

This year too Spain is coming into the World Cup as reigning European Champions and the hopes are quite high around this team. Acosta has just one prayer on her lips, “I just hope that the current squad can develop into the Xavis, Villas, and Casillas of the future. It’s all that me and millions of Spanish folks can hope for as a fan”.

The despair at the youth level a few years ago has truly blossomed into hope for the La Roja and the people in support truly believe that players of today can be the future Isco, Azpilicueta, Thiago or De Gea. Till then Viva Espana!