his is what the Twilight of the Gods feels like.

After two European Championships and a World Cup, after producing the greatest tactical
innovation in international football since those Dutch gus in Oranje gave us !Total "ootball!
in #$%&, after proving that three'peat reall is a word and after defing time and making us
believe the could renew themselves organicall and internall, this is it.
(t)s not the first time world champions e*it in the group stage. "rance did it in +,,+, and (tal
followed suit in +,#,. -ut in both cases, the at least controlled their own destin in the third
and final game of the group stage. And neither gave up seven goals in two games.
Gotterdammerung.
(t)s not as if these plaers will go awa. .can the s/uad and ou struggle to find too man
who don)t have a shot at Euro +,#0 or beond. 1avi, of course, is set for pasture in the 2atar
desert, and David 3illa is on a mission from .hekih 4ansour in the -ig Apple with 56C "C.
1abi Alonso, meanwhile, is 7+ and his bod, however bionic, has been punished enough.
There are two on the bubble. (ker Casillas8 (t depends on what happens at club level, but he
seems to show no appetite to walk awa. "ernando Torres8 Chelsea)s e*cuse is his enormous
contract and wages make him impossible to sell9 it)s not clear what .pain)s is.
-ut the others have no reason to e*it stage left. The remain ke plaers on important teams,
and the have plent to give.