The bitter goalless draw against Cape Verde has set alarm bells ringing in the Spanish national team. However, this unexpected stumble is nothing new in our history.
The national side carries a curious curse in its World Cup debuts, producing dark nights that fans still have not been able to forget.
The first major blow of the modern era came in "our" own World Cup. Spain went into the match as the undisputed favorite in Valencia, but turned in a dreadful, flat, and uninspired performance against a weak Honduras side. That meager 1-1 draw, rescued at the last moment thanks to a penalty, planted a sea of doubts across the country.
Even worse was the disaster in the opening match of France 1998. Javier Clemente's talented team arrived at the tournament with a formidable reputation, but the defense completely fell apart. That painful 2-3 defeat went down in history because of a tragic and unforgettable mistake by goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta.
Without a doubt, the most brutal trauma came in Brazil 2014. Spain proudly defended its crown as world champion, but the Oranje completely tore apart Vicente del Bosque's team. The crushing 1-5 final score was not just a thrashing, but the cruelest and most humiliating end of an era for the golden generation.