“There is only one Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Maradona, Cruyff, it is difficult,” says former Spanish midfield ace Gaizka Mendieta when asked if his country can once again reach the heights of 2008-’12, which yielded two European Championships and a World Cup.
That Spanish side is still seen as the benchmark for all international teams. With the World Cup around the corner, and a commanding qualification campaign to boot, the spotlight is once again back on La Furia Roja.
“We were very lucky to have that generation,” Mendieta said in an interaction with The Field. “Xavi, Iniesta, Torres etc – they were at the same place at the right time and played together for so many years. We dominated Europe and the World Cup.”
The success of the Spanish national team, breaking away from the unwanted tag of big-tournament underachievers, Mendieta says, had a lot to do with the clubs striking big in Europe.
There were no fewer than eight Barcelona players who finished with World Cup 2010 winners medal: “The clubs too won a lot – Barca, Madrid, Sevilla, Atletico Madrid have dominated Europe for the last 15 years,” said Mendieta, who now works as commentator for La Liga among other things.
“It is difficult to keep winning constantly, whether it’s the clubs or the national teams. We were fortunate to have that in the league, at the club and the federation. For a long time, Spanish players could do that.
“How many countries in football history can say that they dominated the way Spain did? We won two European Championships and a World Cup,” the 43-year-old said.
On current form, the former Valencia and Barcelona midfielder predicted that, after two underwhelming big tournaments, Spain will be back in the running as one of the favourites in Russia.
Of his alter-ego and ‘wild’ English football
Back in 2003, Mendieta’s decision to move to English club Middlesborough raised a few eyebrows at the time. Today, all the big Premier League clubs have world class Spanish players in their setup.
But the diminutive playmaker, one of the decorated midfielders of his generation, decided to jump ship when Spanish players moving to England was far from considered an attractive prospect. Mendieta now lives in England with his family: “It all happened! I love England and Great Britain, Ireland, Scotland. I used go there on holidays and London was apt for my love in music back – long time ago. Now I have my own business, restaurants in UK. So that makes it easier for my wife to brush up on her English lessons (laughs).”
It is the Basque-born’s love for music that has made him a cult figure. In a day when footballers have been panned for their one-dimensional, robotic personalities, Mendieta moonlights as a DJ. One week from now, he has a high-profile gig in Murcia. “I have been buying records since I was a little boy, have a big collection. I have friends who are musicians and I tour with them.”
Mendieta does admit that juggling his roles as a media personality and an entrepreneur has taken its toll: “I have very little time, though, but I do make it every once in a while. I do get plenty of opportunities but I host only once in three months.”
During the nineties and the early-2000s, not many Spaniards thrived in the physical, unforgiving nature of English football. Contrary to what one might think, Mendieta thrived being the superstar of Wearside.
“I found it a lot easier than I found Italy. English football was wild. Over there, we played good, attacking football and also found a way to win. I loved every minute – it was attack, attack, attack all the time.”
The near misses
Sadly, as a player, Mendieta was never a part of the great Spanish or Barcelona teams (He played with the Catalan giants for a year). There was further heartbreak at Valencia, where he led his team to back-to-back Champions League finals, only to be beaten by Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Soon after he left for England, Valencia went on to upset the Spanish duopoly when they won the La Liga in 2003-’04. A few years later, Spain and Barcelona became all-conquering behemoths.
Mendieta brushes aside this unfortunate pattern in his playing career with a sense of humour: “I was the coach – I coached them to win (laughs). It happens....Valencia had an amazing team back then with a lot of good players. As for Barca, it was a transition year when I was there (2002-’03). After I left, a new coach (Frank Rijkaard) came in, Ronaldinho...suddenly a new team arrived – not Lionel Messi, but Xavi, Iniesta, Pujol who were all very young then.”
“Since I left, they picked up their game and were an important part of the team. In any sport, especially team sport, it is a continuous battle to win trophies. Of course, I would have loved to be there, lifting every single trophy. They are my friends and I played there, so I am happy for them, happy for the club, happy for the fans.”
When prodded, Mendieta admits that he should have won more trophies, “I played for two of the biggest clubs in Spain. I would like to change anything, of course, I want to go back and win one more trophy.”
‘I’m open to an ISL move’
With several greats from the Spaniard’s generation, including Roberto Carlos, Robert Pires and Alessandro del Piero having graced the Indian Super League in the past, Mendieta too, could have been on the marquee list.
“They approached me in the first edition,” he reveals. “Someone called me and I’d said that I was interested, but the move didn’t go through.”
“If it arises again, for sure [I’ll be interested]. As a player, you are lucky to experiment football and life in different countries and cultures. If I get a chance as a manager, why not?”
Mendieta has his Uefa A licence and is pushing for his professional badges. One thing is certain, the midfield general in him, carving open tight defences and finding space to shoot is still alive and kicking: “When I become the coach, I’ll be the brains of the team.”