Foye wrote:Von Bismarck wrote:Foye wrote:Spain was qualified. Hard to tell whether they really took this game all that serious.
a few players probably thought they could stay top of the group without full effort and it almost worked.
So, according to your logic, you don't know if Spain took this game serious while they went to the game with top squad? Mate, Croatia missed 5 players from starting XI.
Now Spain can enjoy France, England, Germany and Italy while Croatia has road to the finals if they keep playing their game.
My logic tells me to never take group stage games/results too serious.
Look at 2012. Spain - Italy 1-1 in group stage but when the spotlights were on in the final Spain absolutely destroyed Italy.
It is not that easy, Italy had a decent starter eleven but didn't have good reserve so, in the final, the player was exhausted from a long season and a tough competition (Spain, Croatia, Ireland, England, Germany).
Meanwhile Spain had a really good group and del bosque rotate them very well and they arrived in final quite fresh...