A tribute to Luis Aragones: The person who transformed Spain from perennial underachievers to champions

Luis Aragones, the inventor of Tiki-Taka, was the architect of Spanish dominance in Football. Coaching a team which was falling short of winning trophies for two decades, was a big challenge for Aragones. But his befitting reply to all the critics was the 2008 UEFA European championship victory , the announcement of Spain’s supremacy.
The master of free kicks, Aragones began his career as a forward. He made a huge impact during his term with Athletico Madrid, helping them win La Liga as well as Copa Del Rey championships. The sharp skills of Zepatones (nickname given by his teammates, meaning long boots), was always a nightmare for the goalkeepers. The legendary player is the club’s top goal scorer to date.
As the coach of Spain’s national football team, Aragones was always known for making tough decisions. Dropping players like Raul and Salgado had many critics raise eye brows. He replaced Raul with David Villa, who went on to become Spain’s all-time leading scorer. It was very clear that Aragones wanted to adopt a unique strategy in the team. With ‘Tiki-Taka’, he changed the definition of short passing and believed that the strength of a team lies in possession. Aragones, personified himself as a leader who instilled immense confidence and faith amongst players. He had been influential in transforming a huge list of contemporary players. The list includes the likes of Fernando Torres who scored the winning goal in the 2008 UEFA European championship finals against Germany. Also some key players like Cesc Fabregas, Sergio Ramos, David Villa, Iker Cassilas and Andres Iniesta flourished under Aragones’ coaching system. The players always saw Aragones as a father figure who would pass on his tactics before every game and hinting his belief on the players with a sharp stare through his famous gold-rimmed glasses.
However Aragones did go through a low point in his career, when he made racist remarks on the French football star Thierry Henry. The incident was the only black mark in an otherwise inspiring career. Aragones stepped down in 2008, after the Euro victory. But the repercussions of a masterful game plan is still evident in the style of play by the Spaniards. The Tiki-Taka system is still prevalent in the team, and a number of other clubs/ league teams have been emulating the technique. The success of the technique can be seen with victories for Spain, including the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European championship. The team looks invincible, and undoubtedly the run of success is a result of his legacy.
The Football fraternity might have lost a Father, but the testimonials of his mastery will stay forever.