Spain are back where they belong at a World Cup. For the first time since lifting the trophy in 2010, La Roja have won a knockout stage match — and they did it in style, dismantling Austria 3-0 to signal that their glory days may not be far behind them.

The turnaround is striking. Across three World Cup campaigns following their 2010 triumph in South Africa, Spain failed to win a single knockout fixture — a barren run that painted a harsh picture for a nation accustomed to global dominance. That drought is now over.

A statement performance

The 3-0 scoreline against Austria was not just a win — it was a declaration. Spain controlled the contest from start to finish, leaving no room for doubt about who was the better side on the night.

For a team that once set the blueprint for modern international football with their tiki-taka style, reclaiming a knockout victory at a World Cup carries enormous symbolic weight. It marks the end of a painful chapter that had stretched across more than a decade of near-misses and early exits on the biggest stage.

What comes next

The road ahead remains demanding, but Spain will take confidence from a performance that combined clean sheets with clinical finishing. A nation that knows what it feels like to win the World Cup — in 2010, when they defeated the Netherlands in the final — will dare to dream once more.

Whether this marks the start of a genuine title run or simply a welcome return to form, one thing is clear: Spain are no longer haunted by their post-2010 World Cup record. The mojo, as their fans will tell you, is back.