Day 18, World Cup 2010: Piqué v Ronaldo

Running right alongside Brazil 2014, this is my day-by-day story of how Spain won the last World Cup. You can catch up on previous posts.

These stories are from Spain: The Inside Story of La Roja’s Historic Treble, by Graham Hunter

Spain have come full circle. Six years ago, La Roja won their first match at Euro 2004 but were eliminated from the group stage by their neighbours and tournament hosts, Portugal. It was a humiliating moment. Far more significant than Iberian vendettas is the fact that the defeat in 2004 ushered in Luis Aragonés and the beginning of a cycle of success. Knocking Portugal out of the World Cup would continue a steep upward trajectory. Cristiano Ronaldo, club-mate to Casillas, Alonso and Ramos, is the main threat.

Gerard Piqué: “Ronaldo helped me immensely when I first moved to Manchester. He spoke more English and the two of us could also communicate in Spanish. He was fantastic and we actually supported one another a bit. Television has a role in him being misinterpreted – Cristiano is very sure of himself, he always wants to be the leader on the pitch, so people who only see him on television can misjudge him as arrogant when he is not. As a person and a friend he is fantastic.”

Piqué had won his last three match-ups against Ronaldo, without conceding a goal – in the 2009 Champions League final against Manchester United and two Clásicos following Ronaldo’s world-record transfer to Real Madrid. “What’s important is never to give him space, or time to think, to make sure you don’t commit a foul and that you don’t let him get running at you with the ball. Then he’s next to unstoppable.”

Portugal and Spain are accommodated within five minutes of each other. Ronaldo and company are in a lovely, vine covered, boutique hotel which specialises in fine wines. Spain are in another rudimentary tower block. It appears that so long as they can sleep, wash in hot water, eat together and be fairly sure nothing will be stolen from them, all is well.

Read Next Day 17, World Cup 2010: Torres the pop star Read Next Day 19, World Cup 2010: Spain 1 Portugal 0