Spain have qualified for the finals of UEFA's Nations League after their sensational 6-0 thrashing of Germany in Seville on Tuesday with Manchester City's Ferran Torres scoring his first senior hat-trick.
It was not an ideal start for the hosts as Real Betis' Sergio Canales was forced off injured after just 12 minutes, but they went in front five minutes later through Juventus's Alvaro Morata after he his header was teed up by substitute Fabian Ruiz of Napoli.
🇪🇸 - @AlvaroMorata is the 13th goalscorer for Spain🇪🇸 (@SeFutbol) in the UEFA Nations League. No team has more in this tournament. #ESPGER #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/fVM8apLxWP
— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) November 17, 2020
The Spanish doubled their advantage 16 minutes later when Torres scored his second senior international goal after RB Leipzig's Dani Olmo hit the crossbar with a headed effort and Luis Enrique's men were not done there.
City teammate Rodri made it 3-0 with his head seven minutes before halftime after Atletico Madrid's Koke provided the assist but Spain lost captain Sergio Ramos to injury two minutes before the break and sent Eric Garcia on in his place.
🤯 - Germany🇩🇪 conceded 3⃣ goals in the 1st half of a competitive match for the first time since the 1958 World Cup. They were 3-1 down in the 3rd place play-off against France after 45 minutes (6-3 loss). #ESPGER #NationsLeague
— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) November 17, 2020
The Spaniards showed no signs of letting up in the second half and grabbed a fourth through Torres' touch and finish on 55 minutes that was provided by former Valencia teammate Jose Luis Gaya's low cross.
The 20-year-old completed his treble 19 minutes from time as Ruiz notched another assist as part of a fine flowing move and there was still time for another goal at Estadio Olimpico de Sevilla.
Real Sociedad's Mikel Oyarzabal was sent on with 17 minutes left and added a late sixth from Gaya's second assist of the match.
👏👏👏 - Ferrán Torres (20-262) became the youngest player to score a hattrick in an official match for Spain🇪🇸 (@SeFutbol) since 14 April 1929, when Gaspar Rubio (20-121) scored a hattrick in their 8-1 friendly home victory over France🇫🇷. #ESPGER #NationsLeague
— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) November 17, 2020
TOPS: Ferran Torres, Fabian Ruiz, Jose Gaya
It was a night to remember for Torres as he hit his first senior hat-trick to take his international tally to four goals from seven appearances. The City new boy is one of the key figures in this new generation of Spanish talent and his display suggests that the future is extremely bright.
3 - Ferran Torres has become the first ever player to score a hat-trick for Spain 🇪🇸 in a game against Germany 🇩🇪. Stellar. https://t.co/JvNKLRyRUr
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 17, 2020
Another Spaniard deserving of praise is Ruiz who staked his claim for further involvement in the future with two assists off the bench as an early replacement for Canales. At a time when Sergio Busquets' fragility has been underlined the Napoli man is a breath of fresh air for Enrique.
Another player with two assists to his name at the end of the match was Gaya who provided for ex-teammate Torres and later substitute Oyarzabal. Barely into double figures for appearances and already with two goals and a handful of assists to his name, the Valencia man continues to show his value going forward from the back.
-6⃣ - SPAIN🇪🇸 🆚 GERMANY🇩🇪 6-0!!!!!! Die Mannschaft (including West Germany) suffer their biggest defeat in a competitive game. #ESPGER #NationsLeague
— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) November 17, 2020
FLOPS: Joachim Low
It would be unfair to single individuals in such a dreadful collective performance and the fact that this is the heaviest competitive defeat ever in Germany's history speaks volumes about the problems with Joachim Low's side -- the nature of the loss could impact the 60-year-old's immediate future.