Spain’s U20 World Cup Stumble: Fury, Soul-Searching, and Identity Clash

For many internet users, Spain showed a face unworthy of a favorite. "Lamentable... !!! Spain was mediocre... Possession without depth," denounces a commentator. Another lashes out against the technical staff: "At the Spanish Football Federation, is anyone working? You always take such bad coaches that any small selection makes us look ridiculous."

These criticisms are accompanied by a broader assessment of the Spanish record. "We are a zero to the left on the world stage," fumes an internet user, recalling that Spain has only won the World Cup once, after 80 years of waiting. Others, however, nuance this, pointing out that La Roja remains the most titled European team at the Euros and has already shone in the lower categories.

Behind the biting humor, a deeper frustration emerges. "We’re going home. This is the consequence of having given them so much publicity in the press," fumes a supporter, while another relativizes by estimating that this tournament is "an absurdity in the calendar" and that it is better to prioritize club football.

Beyond the field, the Moroccan victory has awakened identity tensions. Some condescending comments still qualify Morocco as a "third world country," provoking immediate responses from Moroccan supporters: "Here is Morocco, for those who consider us inferior to others."

This was followed by a heated exchange, also recalling Spain’s elimination by Morocco in 2022. "We eliminated you in your second home, Paris," launches a Spanish internet user, to which a Moroccan retorts: "And Hakimi’s goal hahaha."

Ultimately, this defeat of the Rojita is not limited to a sporting setback. On social networks, it has crystallized sporting frustrations, mockery, political settling of scores, and identity rivalries. Between those who demand a overhaul of Spanish football, those who relativize the importance of this U20 World Cup, and those who see the Moroccan victory as a symbolic revenge, the debate remains heated long after the final whistle.