Spain, against the debut jinx

Spain starting new Costa Rica his career in his sixteenth World Cup and let him know that the debut game did not traditionally go in his face. Without further ado, there have been three consecutive World Championships in which he did not win on his debut, including one in 2010, where he was victorious, followed by those in 2014 and 2018. Although he has participated in eight consecutive . without knowing what to win, from 1950 to 2002. In total, in the first 15 games played the red it has a balance of four wins, four draws and seven losses.

1934: Spain-Brazil 3-1

After not participating in Uruguay 1930, the Spanish team, coached by Amadeo García de Salazar, debuted in a World Championship with success thanks to goals from Iraragorri, twice and one from a penalty, and Langara. For South Americans, Leonidas scored. The match was played at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa on May 27, 1934. In the next round, already in the quarterfinals, Spain was eliminated by Italy.

1950: Spain-United States 3-1

Spain also started the first meeting after the Second World War in a good location. They did not participate in France 1938 but did in Brazil 1950. Coached by Guillermo Eizaguirre, the internationals defeated the United States 3-1 on June 25, 1950 in Curitiba. The North Americans went ahead with a goal from Pariani, but Igoa, Basora and Zarra. Spain finished fourth in that World Cup.

1962: Czechoslovakia-Spain 1-0

After losing to Switzerland 1954 and Sweden 1958, Spain returned to a World Cup in Chile 1962, where they made their debut with a 1-0 defeat against Czechoslovakia on May 31 in Viña del Mar. Helenio Herrera’s men arrived in the last group in the first stage after defeating Mexico (1-0) and losing to Brazil (2-1).

1966: Argentina-Spain 2-1

Spain also did not have a good debut in England in 1966. José Villalonga’s side lost to Argentina 2-1 at Villa Park in Birmingham on July 13. Two goals from Artime rendered Pirri useless. The National Team also did not make it past the first stage after defeating Switzerland (2-1) and losing to Federal Germany (2-1), which was third in the group.

1978: Austria-Spain 2-1

Absent from Mexico 1970 and Germany 1974, Spain returned to a World Cup in Argentina 1978. Its debut was in Buenos Aires on June 3 against Austria, again with a loss. Dani scored the goal for Ladislao Kubala’s men. Schachner and Krankl produced the Central Europeans. The national team fell again in a group stage remembered for Cardeñosa’s missed goal against Brazil in an empty net.

1982: Spain-Honduras 1-1

Inauspicious debut for Spain in its World Cup on June 16 in a match played against Honduras with the then known as Luis Casanova. José Emilio Santamaría’s men did not go from one draw to another against the mediocre Central American team. López Ufarte equalized Zelaya’s initial goal with a penalty. The National Team suffered through the second round, but there it could not be in a group of three with either Germany or England and completed one of the biggest disappointments in its history at World Cups.

1986: Brazil-Spain 1-0

Lose without controversy for Miguel Muñoz’s team against Brazil on June 1 at the Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara. Sócrates scored for the canarinha, but the game is remembered for the goal that Míchel was denied after his shot hit the crossbar and bounced into the goal. Spain bounced back from that defeat, beating Northern Ireland (2-1) and Algeria (3-0), and after playing a memorable round of 16 game against Denmark (5-1), where he scored Butragueño with four goals, said goodbye to the quarterfinal penalty. shootout against Belgium.

1990: Spain-Uruguay 0-0

Luis Suárez’s team’s debut was held to a goalless draw in the Italian town of Udine on July 13. Spain later managed to beat South Korea (3-1) and Belgium (2-1), to top their group, but fell in the round of 16 against Yugoslavia 2-1.

1994: Spain-South Korea 2-2

The World Cup in the United States did not start off on the right foot either. A 2-2 tie on June 17 in Dallas, with goals from Julio Salinas and Andoni Goikoetxea. Javier Clemente’s team drew with Germany (1-1) and beat Bolivia (3-1). In the round of 16 they eliminated Switzerland (3-0) and were eliminated by Italy in the quarterfinals (2-1) in Tassotti’s famous elbow fight with Luis Enrique.

1998: Nigeria-Spain 3-2

Much worse happened at the 1998 World Cup in France on June 13 in Nantes. Clemente’s team lost unexpectedly to Nigeria. Goals from Hierro and Raúl were useless. The National Team did not manage it and lost almost all its options by drawing with Paraguay (0-0). The last win against Bulgaria (6-1) did not serve to qualify.

2002: Spain-Slovenia 3-1

After eight consecutive debuts without success, Spain finally managed to shake off the jinx. It was against Slovenia, on June 2 in the South Korean town of Gwanjiu. The three goals for José Antonio Camacho’s team were scored by Raúl, Valerón and Hierro, from penalties. The team was eliminated by the hosts, South Korea, in a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals. The star was the referee, Al Ghandour, who disallowed two legal goals for Spain.

2006: Spain-Ukraine 4-0

It came out again with an emphatic victory over Ukraine on June 13 in the German city of Leipzig. Xabi Alonso, Villa (2, a penalty) and Fernando Torres scored. Luis Aragonés’ Spain went into the second round with solvency as the first group, but crossed paths with France and ended up being eliminated after losing 3-1 in Hannover.

2010: Switzerland-Spain 1-0

Back to their old ways again with a loss against the Swiss team with a loss on June 16 in Durban. But this time everything that followed was positive. Vicente del Bosque’s team won all the games to proclaim themselves world champions against the Netherlands with Iniesta’s memorable goal in extra time.

2014: Netherlands-Spain 5-1

Strong setback taken by Spain in its first title defense in Salvador de Bahía against the Netherlands. After losing 5-1 to ‘oranje’, Vicente del Bosque’s team also lost to Chile (0-2) and ran out of options. The win against Australia (3-0) did not prevent elimination in the first round.

2018: Portugal-Spain 3-3

There was also no win in a thrilling match in which Spain drew with Portugal on June 15 in Sochi. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick for the Portuguese, while a brace from Diego Costa and a goal from Nacho equalized for those led by Fernando Hierro, who had just replaced the dismissed Julen Lopetegui. Spain was eliminated in the round of 16 by hosts Russia in a penalty shootout.