Spain's World Cup win boosts unity

Spain's well-deserved World Cup victory has served as a welcome distraction from the country's economic woes and has boosted its confidence and a sense of unity as a nation.

Spain is going through a difficult economic period, with a record 20 per cent unemployment rate and the introduction of unpopular austerity measures to tackle its high deficit. It has also just emerged from a difficult EU presidency which was overshadowed to a considerable extent by Europe's debt crisis as well as teething problems with the new Lisbon Treaty.

Furthermore, Spain's nationality problem has not gone away, with nationalist regions demanding even more autonomy. A day before the World Cup final, over one million people marched in central Barcelona behind a 250-square-metre Catalan flag which said: 'We are a nation. We will decide'.

The rally took place just one day after a Spanish Constitutional Court ruling struck down key aspects of Catalonia's pro-autonomy charter.

The court decision, which came after a legal challenge by the centre-right opposition Popular Party, said Catalonia's claim to be a nation, with its own flag and anthem, has a symbolic value only but no legal weight because it is incompatible with the "unity and indivisibility of the Spanish nation".

Last Monday, however, the whole of Spain erupted in jubilation when its victorious football team returned home. The celebration in Madrid, where national unity is at its strongest, was expected.

Significantly, however, celebrations were also held in Catalonia and, to a lesser extent, in the Basque region. Spain's victory led to a rare sight in Barcelona: Spanish flags waving side by side with Catalonia's flag.

Spain's World Cup players were also received by King Juan Carlos and Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

"You are an example of sportsmanship, nobility, good play and team work," said the king.

"They won the cup but it belongs to all Spaniards," Zapatero said.

The fact that six of Spain's World Cup squad play for Barcelona, namely Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol, Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Victor Valdes and Pedro, obviously helped boost national unity, as did the fact that Xabi Alonso, who plays for Real Madrid, is from the Basque region.

Zapatero, who supports Barcelona, told the press he toasted the World Cup result with Catalan sparkling wine: "We raised a glass of Cava and a few tears came to my eyes, which is unusual for me, because I know how to control my emotions," he said.

In the pre-match press conference, Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque made a plea for national unity. "There are players from all over Spain here in the squad. We are united and I hope the same feeling of unity occurs back in Spain," he said. "I hope we'll look at things in a less radical way and, through football, create better relations among the regions in our country."

There is no doubt, therefore, that Spain's World Cup win has revived a pride in the country and its national flag, in a way that 35 years of democratic politics probably did not manage to achieve.

Hopefully there will also be economic benefit for Spain after this important victory, with a possible boost in consumer spending and tourism.

Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said: "Spain's win in the World Cup will be of great benefit to the country and will promote its image in every sense of the word."

Economy Minister Salgado remarked: "Winning a World Cup is proof that when we set our minds on doing something, we can do it and we are able to grow in the face of difficulties. All of this is good for confidence in our country, both inside and outside its borders and it will also be good for GNP."

Paul Preston, a Spain expert and history professor at the London School of Economics, was more cautious: "I wouldn't have thought the euphoria over the football will last very long. The win may soften the blow of the economic news, but it won't have a long-lasting effect," he said.

Of course, the probability is that this World Cup win alone will not change anything but it will certainly help Spain adjust through a difficult period and will serve as an example of how determination and perseverance pay off in the end. After all, Spain lost its first World Cup match but did not lose heart, and it ended up winning the tournament.

Spain is going through a period of budget cuts, tax rises, labour market reform and public sector and pensions cuts to restructure its economy and achieve economic growth and job creation.

Hopefully Spain's World Cup victory will encourage the country to stick together as a nation and face the challenges ahead with courage. In the end, the country's efforts and sacrifices will be worth it.

There has already been some good news. Last week China bought €1 billion of Spanish bonds in a big vote of confidence in the eurozone and Spain. Let's hope this trend continues.