Spain had been seeking a fourth consecutive major title, but instead they became only the fifth defending champions - after Italy in 1950 and 2010, Brazil in 1966 and France in 2002 - to go out in the World Cup's first round, says a report in Hindustan Times.
First-half goals from Eduardo Vargas and Charles Aranguiz took Chile into the last 16 and condemned Spain to become the first team with Australia to be eliminated from the 2014 tournament.
On the back of the 5-1 humiliation by Netherlands in their opening game, it proved a miserable return to the Maracana for Spain, who fell 3-0 to Brazil in last season's Confederations Cup final on their previous visit.
Meanwhile a report in The Times Of India says that the loss left the Spanish as red-faced as their shirts as they suffered an even swifter exit than France suffered in 2002 and Italy in 2010. “The loss to goals by Eduardo Vargas after 20 minutes and Charles Aranguiz two minutes before half-time meant Vicente Del Bosque's men saw a six-year winning streak encompassing two European and a first world crown come to an end,” says the report, adding that Casillas, who has endured two difficult seasons at the Bernabeu during which he lost his place and saw his national number one status come into question only to come back and help Real conquer Europe for a tenth time, was left to contemplate the end of an unprecedented era of domination of the international scene by one nation.
“The 33-year-old is the only player to have racked up 100 international victories and at Euro 2012 he conceded just one goal on the road to glory. But in Brazil, he has picked the ball out of the net seven times in just two games -- one more goal than La Furia Roja had conceded in their past dozen World Cup outings before coming here.”
One of the greatest dynasties in modern football came to a shattering end when champions Spain lost 2-0 to Chile on Wednesday and crashed out of the World Cup with their glory days consigned to the history books.
A report in The Indian Express says, on the day when Spain’s King Juan Carlos signed his abdication papers, the country’s footballers were forced off their throne as first-half goals from Eduardo Vargas and Charles Aranguiz earned Chile a stunning victory in front of thousands of their ecstatic fans in a 74,000 crowd at the Maracana.
“The South Americans, who attacked the holders from the first whistle, reached the last 16 along with the Netherlands and confirmed the pre-World Cup talk that they could advance deep into the tournament with a disciplined display against a tired-looking Spanish side who go out along with Australia,” says the report, adding that the Dutch, who beat Spain 5-1 last Friday, and Chile each have six points and they meet in Sao Paulo on Monday to decide the group winners. Spain face Australia in Curitiba bidding to avoid finishing bottom of Group B.
