Updated in June 2026
My sister sent me a video of the Spanish hymn last night. She was in Atlanta, watching heavily favorited Spain take on Cape Verde from
The outcome was surprising. Cape Verde’s goalkeeper stopped more balls than his teammates launched at the Spanish goalpost, but it ended up a draw. Oh well, Spain lost to Switzerland in the first match in 2010 and went on to earn their first star. I was there, it was rare, and the memories from the 2010 World Cup finals I remember all too well compared to the lackluster performances in 2014.
In truth, it was a bendición from the gods: after watching Betis get relegated to Segunda as a card-carrying socio, I had all my cards on Spain’s World Cup bid.
I mean, we won The Euro Cup in 2008 (and my Barca-loving boss at Banana Republic scheduled all of break time together so I could give him updates during the game), the World Cup in 2010 and the Euro Cup again two years later.
You can imagine the relief I felt when my academy’s end-of-year dinner was scheduled for the same night as the Spain-Chile match, and I didn’t have to suffer through 90 minutes of dreams dying (and probably unicorns and other things as elusive as going four-for-four).
I made myself a gin and tonic at home and settled into my favorite part of losing: MEMES!
Whenever you’re feeling down that Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar are probably taking great pleasure in the reigning World Champs becoming the first team to be eliminated in the first round, bookmark this page and remember the better times of La Selección Española:
Diego Costa
Ugh, let’s talk about how much I loathe Diego Costa, a former Atlético Madrid player who gave up his spot on the Brazilian national team to attain Spanish citizenship, believing he’d have a better chance at winning the cup with Spain than his own country.
Can we get a slow clap here right now?
El Tiki Taka
Spain’s famed ‘tiki taka’ style of short, direct passes haven’t brought them a ton of goals, but it has helped them attain the three peat.
Clearly didn’t work against a revenge-hungry Holland, or a more decisive Chile. Thanks for the memories, Tiki Taka.
The Sinking Ship
One of the more popular memes I’ve seen on Facebook has been the sinking ship with the band’s heads replaced by Gerard Piqué, Sergio Ramos, Cesc Fabregas and Iker Casillas.
Be it a metaphor for a country that lost a king and a dream and their dignity in one day?
(S)PAINFUL
Cruel, guys.
De Vacaciones
Some players on the Selección have admitted to being tired after 40 weeks of league play, plus European league championships and a number of friendlies leading up to the Cup.
Spain’s goalie and captain, Iker Casillas, can finally take a break with his girlfriend, sports reporter Sara Carbonera, and gets an entire month to enjoy. Just like every other Spaniard.
Waka Waka
While everyone was dancing the Waka Waka in South Africa, I was falling in love with Barcelona star Gerard Piqué.
Shakira apparently was, too, but her home team is first in their group, so maybe some Waka Waka? Eh? Eh?
Sorry, that was so bad.
La Abdicación
Last Wednesday, I didn’t even know Spain. Apart from the team losing, Spain’s King, Su Majestad Juan Carlos I, officially left the throne, and his son was crowned the following morning.
In this meme, JC thanks Spain National Team Coach Vicente del Bosque for doing everything possible to be present on his son’s big day.
If only. Also not present? The Spanish rose AKA Cayetana de Alba. Trick doesn’t like being shown up!
Hardware
A visual reminder that, when you’re on top, there’s no place to place to go but down (or back to Spain via Iberia).
El Tupper
Poor Pepe Reina. Spain’s back up goalie has been invited to be ‘convocado’ by the Spanish Selección for the past three World Cups, but he has yet to clock any minutes. Iker Casillas has gotten all of the glory.
On the bright side, he gets a free trip to Brazil and someone will send him back to the Madre Patria with a Tupperware full of something delicious.
Do you think they’ll get to-go cups of caipirinhas, too?
Sergio Ramos
The Real Madrid hincha was recently revered for a tying the Champions League final in the last minutes against Diego Costa and his crosstown team, but what he has in fútbol skills, he kinda lacks in smarts.
El Pony de Camas is asked to translate the word red and use it in a sentence. If you know Spanish, you know that ‘red’ also means net, so Ramos, a defender, tells goalie Iker Casillas to take the ball out of the net. Again.
Sad, but so, so on.
Bueno.
As the Novio says, “The definition of sport: a physical activity subject to rules and regulations that is always won by the Spaniards.”
I’d say he’s eating his words, but he’s probably just glad I’ll stop spending so much money on beer and nachos. Go Team USA?
Who are you rooting for in the World Cup this 2024? Obviously I am rooting for Spain but would love to see Saudi Arabia also emerge from Group H to contest a few more!
I’m definitely cheering for the USA now. All my hopes were on Spain, and I’m also eating some of my words that I was trash talking around friends. Spain may bounce back in the near future, hopefully without Costa, because they have a lot of very good young players on the squad. I feel like this was the last go around with many in this older group. Either way, I’ll be looking forward to actually living in Spain when the next time they play!
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Totally (s)pain-ful.
I will never forgive Holland for the 5-1
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After the disappointing scenes yesterday in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria regarding UD, your round-up brings some light relief. Thanks, Cat. Oh, and love those glasses.
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This is great. Unfortunately my worst case scenario will be panning out if the US is unable to get out of group play later this week. I was really hoping to watch both La Roja and US in the knock-out rounds while being in Spain, but alas…
I didn’t know Diego Costa’s history, so that is funny to me. I still can’t figure out how the US arguably has 2 strikers on their team better than what Spain was able to field.
I would love to say I support the USA (and I do!) but let’s face it they aren’t going to make it very far. If they score one goal against Germany that would be awesome! In fact I may just end up supporting Germany. Also I’m assuming that’s not really Diego Costas’s Twitter account but that is pretty hilarious.
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I know it’s not fair to blame it all on Costa but I will! lol!
My God, Cat, I spilled my coffee the second I started reading. And then, with a sip leading to a moderate gulp, that small volume of coffee became a spray, merging mercifully into a full belly laugh, as I got halfway down your post. The guy across the table from me isn’t too happy about it … or the fact that he’s from Spain … 😉 😀
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you have just spelt Sara Carbonero as Carbonera….has it been a mistake? or have you just done it to do it hilarius and funny? it cracks me up!!…such a spelling makes her look like a coal-woman or blackened with coal, haha! you know, “carbon” means coal.
you are totally right about Diego Costa…..i really dislike him…we have forwards better than him, and he is not even a Spaniard, at least emotionally or sentimentally as we would say….a great mistake by our national manager Del Bosque, who has lost all credit by the way.
as for the Tiki Taka style…yes it is dead, but i think, and many people, that the reason why Barcelona have had such success was because other clubs really feared them so those clubs would only defend on their own half of the pitch, so it was easier for Barcelona.
however, clubs like Bayer Munich or Madrid have proved that if you have balls and play face to face without fear, then Barcelona are just a normal club as easy as any other.
Iker Casillas? he is loved by 50% of Spaniards and loathed by the other 50%…he is not in good shape and everyone knows it, but the problem is that he´s got “muchos lameculos” above all the press which still claim that he is the best and must be the main goalkeeper…..i dislike him since he had problems with former manager Mouriño after being relegated to the bench, showing lack of respect….a good player must respect what a manager decides.
i think that Holland, Germany or France will win the World Cup.
by the way, USA have very good players 🙂
Pobre España 🙁 At least we can laugh it off with these memes! The Costa tweet is hilarious. Go USA!
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