Chile Sends Spain Packing in Stunning World Cup Defeat

Thousands of people gathered in the center of Santiago to party after Chile beat Spain 2-0 in their Group B FIFA World Cup match. Photo by Fernando Lavoz. Copyright Demotix.

Thousands of people in Santiago watch Chile beat Spain 2-0 in their Group B FIFA World Cup match. Photo by Fernando Lavoz. Copyright Demotix.

Chile's national football team knocked out the defending champion Spain in a 2-0 win during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil at the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, with goals by Eduardo Vargas in the 20th minute and Charles Aránguiz in the 43th.

Almost immediately on June 18, 2014, Chileans around the world took to the streets to celebrate. The commentary online began to roll out in earnest, as well. El blog de mi fútbol ecuatoriano (My Ecuadorian football blog) recalls some history:

La Roja, humillada por Holanda en la primera jornada (5-1), consumó la debacle este miércoles al caer derrotada por Chile y se queda ya sin opciones de clasificarse, incluso antes del tercer partido ante Australia.

El equipo de Vicente del Bosque se convierte en el cuarto campeón en la historia en despedirse a las primeras de cambio al no haber sumando un solo punto tras dos partidos.

La Roja [The Red, a popular name given to both national teams, the Chilean and the Spanish], humiliated by the Netherlands in their debut (5-1), cemented their collapse on Wednesday June 18 after being defeated by Chile and has no more options to move forward to the second stage, even before their third match with Australia.

The team coached by Vicente del Bosque become the fourth world champion in history to say goodbye in the beginning after not being able to score a earn a single point in two matches.

Website Florida Diario summed it up:

España, el último campeón del mundo que prometía en Brasil, fracasó en sus primeros dos partidos y terminó eliminado por una destacada selección de Chile.

Spain, the current promising defending world champion in Brazil, failed in its two matches and ended up knocked out by a remarkable Chile national team.

Twitter users also weighed in, some celebrating the victory of “their” red-shirted team:

LOL!!! We breezed right by them on the field!!!

It's so nice to see Chilean people celebrating! From Argentina, it's just wonderful to see them like this!

In the Antarctic, we are celebrating too.

Some Spanish fans tried to be positive in the loss:

Loving a team goes beyond defeats or victories. Spanish national team, thanks for all these years. Champions always get back on their feet. Cheer up.

Pau Gasol, a popular Spanish professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers, offered his words of support:

I encourage our national team. You've given us very special moments and I'm sure you'll make us live them again.

Sports news organization Fútbol Mediaset quoted Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas apologizing after the match: 

Iker Casillas: “We apologize to the people, but we've done everything that we could”.

Some people weren't so forgiving, like sarcastic Twitter account @iauraB:

Hey, Iker Casillas, if you want to take some lessons about how to be a good goalkeeper, I can put you in contact with Memo Superman Ochoa.

Start the conversation

Authors, please log in »

Guidelines

  • All comments are reviewed by a moderator. Do not submit your comment more than once or it may be identified as spam.
  • Please treat others with respect. Comments containing hate speech, obscenity, and personal attacks will not be approved.