Page 2 - Spain
- December 08, 2017
8th December 2017.
In anticipation of Russia 2018 next summer, a host of new soccer jerseys are being released for the team's that have secured qualification. German sportswear manufacturer Adidas has got ahead of the game, and began launching shirts toward the end of 2017. The FIFA World Cup 2018 Adidas football shirts released to date are all home edition jerseys, and the designs embody the strengths, passions and heritage of each nation involved, with a clearly retro look. Below we take a look at some of the Adidas 2018 World Cup kits launched so far.Argentina 2018 World Cup Home Kit
The advertising campaign launching the Argentina home kit for the 2018 World Cup was fronted by the infamous Lionel Messi. Messi, one of the greatest footballers to have ever graced a soccer field, and an icon in the history of Argentinian football, has never won a major trophy with his country. This disparity, in an otherwise unblemished career, is clearly referenced with - June 19, 2017
19th June 2017. By Edward Stratmann
When he took over as Spanish national team manager, Julen Lopetegui made a point of looking to the future and doing things his way, in his style, for he knew comparing himself to the magnificent success Spain had enjoyed under Luis Aragones and Vicente del Bosque in recent years wouldn't be a wise move.
"In my opinion, the generation that has just passed is without doubt the most brilliant not just in the history of Spanish football, but one of the best in the history of world football, so comparing anything to that is not fair and would be a mistake," he insists.
"But that doesn't mean we haven't got good footballers: we have got good footballers, with ambition, personality, desire. Players who are making big steps, but to follow their path, not someone else's."
The former coach of numerous Spanish youth teams, who - October 12, 2016
October 12th 2016. By Ryan Baldi.
Gerard Pique has announced that he will retire from international football after the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
It was a decision made in the heat of a particularly heated moment, with the latest media and fan criticism of the Barcelona defender proving to be the straw that broke the camel's back. And with the World Cup still the best part of two years away -- much like former team-mate Carles Puyol in 2010 and current colleague Lionel Messi this summer -- Pique could yet decide to reverse his decision to quit playing for his country.
But if he does not -- if Pique's announcement proves to be more promise than threat -- it will be Spain's great loss.
In one of the most remarkable acts of self-sabotage in football, large sections of the Spanish media and fans have pushed their best defender to the point where he is no longer willing to represent La Roja.
As a proud Catalan, and one who has made no attempt to - June 27, 2016
27th June 2016. By Edward Stratmann.Â
For almost a year now, Gerard Pique has been a heavily derided figure by many fans of the Spanish national team, with a section of supporters dedicating themselves to incessantly booing, jeering and whistling at him. This is, of course, due to their belief that the Barcelona stopper holds anti-Real Madrid and pro-Catalan independence views.
Pique's outstanding performances against the Czech Republic and Turkey to start the tournament, with the highpoint being the dramatic late winner he scored against the Czechs, had, however, helped unite the fans and managed to stem the negative treatment directed towards him.
When speaking prior to Spain's final group game with Croatia, Pique noted how pleased he was the situation had improved, saying: "I take that very happily. It is better to be applauded than whistled. The only way to turn the situation around is my performance on the pitch.
"I had the good fortune to score - June 24, 2016
24th June 2016. By Ryan Baldi.
He's not a shouter; he doesn't scream at his colleagues like Roy Keane used to. He's not a gesticulator; he doesn't point and orchestrate his team's positioning as the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger and John Terry do. But Andrés Iniesta is a leader.
That might come across as an obvious statement, considering that Iniesta is captain of FC Barcelona, one of the biggest clubs in the world. But the 32-year-old midfielder's leadership style is less than obvious it is subtle, yet ever-present.
It would be an over-simplification to suggest that Iniesta merely leads by example, his influence on those around him stretches far beyond monkey-see-monkey-do. The Barça midfielder carries an aura which demands deference; he might as well be wearing his vast collection of medals around his neck every time he walks out onto the pitch.
Yet he's unassuming shy, even. He doesn't bang his own drum loudly; he doesn't need to.
The first signs - March 23, 2016
23rd March 2016. By Karl Matchett.
It wasn't as varied or filled with new faces as might have been hoped, but the Spain squad called up by Vicente del Bosque last week did at least take notice of some of the clamouring for certain players to be involved.
Athletic Club striker Aritz Aduriz was plumped for after months of petitioning from the Spanish media to have him included and he, along with one or two others, must now be handed significant game time during the international break to allow himself to prove he has something to offer for Euro 2016.
Spain face Italy on Thursday and Romania on Sunday in a double-header which is del Bosque's last chance to take a look at players in-season. The next time a squad is announced, it will be the larger pre-tournament squad, which will have a few friendlies to play out as the boss trims his squad to the - January 08, 2016
The 2016 UEFA European Championship won't get underway until June 10th of next year. As of early December, though, the group stage draws for the tournament are set. With 24 teams spread across six groups, which countries will rise and which will fall in the first round of this prestigious football tournament? Read on to check out our predictions for each of the six groups.
The Group: A
The Teams: France, Romania, Albania, Switzerland
The Likely Outcome: France are the natural frontrunners here. In addition to being the tournament hosts, France are also the only soccer team in this group that have won a previous European Championship title-let alone two. France won in both 1984 (also at a tournament they hosted) and 2000 and have had a fairly solid year, - November 25, 2015
With the qualifiers done and the playoffs decided, the table is set for the 2016 UEFA European Championship. The tournament won't commence until June 10th, which means we're still more than half a year away. However, at Soccer Box, we are ready to help football fans all around Europe to prepare for the big continental competition. We've begun stocking Euro 2016 jerseys for a range of different international football squads, from Germany and Spain to Belgium and Sweden. These are the official kits that your favorite international teams are going to be wearing at Euro next summer, and thanks to Soccer Box, you can get yours today!
A Tournament Preview: Who Will Win and Who Might Surprise?
Now that the playoffs are over (with Ukraine, Sweden, Republic of - November 17, 2015
Was England's massive success in the qualifying rounds for the 2016 European Championship a fluke? Did the Three Lions manage a perfect 10-win record in the qualifiers because they got drawn into an easy group? Those questions are certainly being asked by football pundits worldwide after Spain take down England 0-2 in a Friday friendly match.
Tweaking the Lineup
To be fair, England manager Roy Hodgson was experimenting with an unusual lineup on Friday evening. Hodgson mixed things up quite a bit throughout England's Euro 2016 qualifiers, swapping between Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane for the center forward position but also frequently putting Danny Welbeck, Raheem Sterling, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana, and Jamie Vardy at or near the front of his offensive line.
For Friday's match, Hodgson left Rooney off the starting lineup, handing the captain's armband to goalkeeper Joe Hart instead. Kane, meanwhile, took - October 18, 2015
A year ago, it looked explicitly like the "golden age" of the Spanish national team football was over. The team had not only failed to defend their 2010 World Cup title, but they'd also performed so poorly in Brazil that they were eliminated from the 2014 World Cup after just two group stage matches. An early loss in the Euro 2016 qualifiers (a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Slovakia last October) extended the Red Fury's struggles into another high-profile international event. Since then, though, Spain have been almost bulletproof on the soccer pitch-at least in the moments when it truly counted. The squad lost a friendly against Germany last fall and another against Euro 2016 hosts France this past March, but the Spain bounce back has resulted in the squad winning eight straight Euro qualifying matches.
The Spanish national football team ends the qualifying competition with nine wins, one draw, and 27 points. Those numbers not only give the Red Fury an easy win in Group C but also one