The End Is Rarely Beautiful

It was never supposed to end like this, so meekly and so uninspiringly. This seemingly irresistible force that had assailed the soccer world for the better part of a decade was, despite a somewhat aging core, always expected to maintain the standard that they had set forth for themselves, and indeed, history was at least supposed to almost repeat itself.

Fate, and especially in the sporting realm, has an unforgiving demeanor. It doesn't care about what we think is supposed to happen, and it especially doesn't care about human creations such as legacy and legend. Time comes, time goes, empires are built and empires crumble. Perhaps we should finally accept the teachings of history and acknowledge that, yes, even the phenomenon of Spain has fallen to such a timeless, cyclical reality.

To have watched Spain's two catastrophic losses to the Netherlands and Chile was to have witnessed the crumbling of castles and palaces that was equally breathtaking and disturbing. Cornerstones of the Spanish dynasty, whether Iker Casillas and his alarmingly shaky demeanor or Andres Iniesta and his rarely-seen lack of incisiveness, gave way, and a new brick in the wall, the far from 100% Diego Costa, offered little to stave of a fascinating, if not macabre, collapse. In the end, Spain's finesse and precision had been bested by unadulterated speed, power, fearlessness and aggression.

Alas, 2014 Spain  has now fallen into the abyss that has welcomed the likes of France (2002, 2010) and Italy (2010) in contemporary times. Changes will come, resounding and swift, and likewise with little regard for the past. Vicente del Bosque, the architect of this wondrous era, will make way, and previously untouchable and apparently infallible players will surely pull on the Spanish shirt for the last time in the upcoming game versus Australia. Just where the axe finishes chopping after this summer's downfall is anyone's guess.

If there is one thing I hope for in the wake of this Spanish tumult, it is that fans, whether Spanish or neutral in nature, do not allow the present to sully or mar the accomplishments of the past. The heights have been glorious for Spain, and with a heightened degree of parity on display in the world's game, maybe we will never see such dominance again, or at least for a very long time.

Kings rise, only for others to ultimately claim the crown in due time. The cupboard is hardly bare for Spain, even as legends soon depart, and the future may very well see Spain crowned again. After all, Euro 2016 is only two years away.