MADRID — When Iker Casillas became the first Spanish player to lift the World Cup trophy in South Africa's Soccer City, it underlined Spain's recent emergence as a sports powerhouse.
Since 2000, Spain has won basketball's world and European championships and four Davis Cup tennis titles; Rafael Nadal has captured eight Grand Slam victories; three Spanish riders have triumphed at the Tour de France; Fernando Alonso secured two Formula One titles, and Pau Gasol helped the Los Angeles Lakers win back-to-back NBA titles.
As Spain's economic star rose over the decades, so did the quality of its sports stars — culminating with the World Cup win that had eluded the soccer-crazy nation after so many decades of frustration.
Even though Spain has been damaged by the current European debt crisis, experts predict it won't lose its edge on the playing fields.
"Our progress in tennis, cycling, basketball, motor racing and bike racing has been remarkable," said an editorial in Spanish daily El Pais the day after the World Cup triumph. "Football, however, always seemed to be condemned to the role of unfortunate hopeful, which seemed to have everything conspire against it. Referees, penalties — sport's fates seemed to work overtime to delay this dream every four years."
Spain had never reached the semifinals of soccer's premier tournament. Spain has two of the biggest club teams in the world — Barcelona and Real Madrid — but its national team never delivered. That seemed to change with the team's 2008 European Championship win.
Football, tennis and cycling have been the staples of Spanish sports for decades. With soccer players such as Alfredo di Stefano and Luis Suarez, tennis players Manolo Santana, Manuel Orantes, Sergi Bruguera and Arantxa Sanchez and Tour-winning cyclists Pedro Delgado and Miguel Indurain, the country already had an admirable stable of athletes.
However, most of the above were in their prime before Spain embarked on its construction-driven economic boom in the mid-1990s. The corresponding investment in the country's sports facilities has led to unprecedented success.
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A PAKISTAN TIMES
