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| Spanish Soccer Team’s Elimination Casts Pall Over New King’s Arrival | Spanish Soccer Team’s Elimination Casts Pall Over New King’s Arrival |
| (2 months later) | |
| MADRID — It seemed unfair. The Catalans are threatening to break the country apart. Economically speaking, the patient is stable, but still in fragile health. | |
| The arrival of a new king on Thursday, despite the fact that he is inheriting a badly tarnished throne, may yet have provided Spaniards with some hope, even optimism, that their country was finally turning a corner. | The arrival of a new king on Thursday, despite the fact that he is inheriting a badly tarnished throne, may yet have provided Spaniards with some hope, even optimism, that their country was finally turning a corner. |
| Then the Chileans spoiled the moment. | Then the Chileans spoiled the moment. |
| Three weeks ago, when King Juan Carlos unexpectedly announced his abdication, nobody in Spain suspected that the arrival of their new king would coincide, let alone be practically overshadowed, by the elimination of Spain from the World Cup. After all, Spain went to Brazil for the tournament as the defending world champions, with its national team and clubs dominating Europe’s recent competitions. | Three weeks ago, when King Juan Carlos unexpectedly announced his abdication, nobody in Spain suspected that the arrival of their new king would coincide, let alone be practically overshadowed, by the elimination of Spain from the World Cup. After all, Spain went to Brazil for the tournament as the defending world champions, with its national team and clubs dominating Europe’s recent competitions. |
| But in a country where soccer (fútbol, as it is more appropriately called here) is perhaps the one thing for which nearly all Spaniards share an undiluted passion, Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to Chile cast a mist of mourning over the nation that even the pomp of a royal event could not altogether dispel. | But in a country where soccer (fútbol, as it is more appropriately called here) is perhaps the one thing for which nearly all Spaniards share an undiluted passion, Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to Chile cast a mist of mourning over the nation that even the pomp of a royal event could not altogether dispel. |
| “Cemetery of Kings,” read one of Thursday’s newspaper headlines, a reference to the debacle of a golden generation of Spanish soccer players, kicked out of the World Cup, rather than to the day’s royal event, when King Felipe VI succeeded his father. | “Cemetery of Kings,” read one of Thursday’s newspaper headlines, a reference to the debacle of a golden generation of Spanish soccer players, kicked out of the World Cup, rather than to the day’s royal event, when King Felipe VI succeeded his father. |
| “What just happened in Brazil was a disaster, so this can only be a sad moment and makes the issue of having a new king pretty irrelevant as far as I’m concerned,” said Gabriel Romero, 16, who was glumly walking around Madrid wearing the soccer shirt of La Roja, as the team is known. | “What just happened in Brazil was a disaster, so this can only be a sad moment and makes the issue of having a new king pretty irrelevant as far as I’m concerned,” said Gabriel Romero, 16, who was glumly walking around Madrid wearing the soccer shirt of La Roja, as the team is known. |
| In fact, while the royal succession has fueled a debate over whether Spain should keep its monarchy at all, many sounded more concerned Thursday with how to overhaul a soccer team whose victories had provided at least a modicum of distraction from the country’s troubles and helped ease Spain’s regional tensions, something that the monarchy has not managed to do. | In fact, while the royal succession has fueled a debate over whether Spain should keep its monarchy at all, many sounded more concerned Thursday with how to overhaul a soccer team whose victories had provided at least a modicum of distraction from the country’s troubles and helped ease Spain’s regional tensions, something that the monarchy has not managed to do. |
| But diversion was not what everyone wanted, and if Spain had to be run out of the World Cup, then some opponents of the monarchy welcomed the timing. | But diversion was not what everyone wanted, and if Spain had to be run out of the World Cup, then some opponents of the monarchy welcomed the timing. |
| “I’m sure the royal household wanted the new king to also benefit from soccer euphoria, so I’m glad the team lost because its success had created an absurd sense of patriotism that diverted attention from our political and social problems, including the fact that we should be able to choose our head of state,” said Carlos Royo, 48, a masseur. | “I’m sure the royal household wanted the new king to also benefit from soccer euphoria, so I’m glad the team lost because its success had created an absurd sense of patriotism that diverted attention from our political and social problems, including the fact that we should be able to choose our head of state,” said Carlos Royo, 48, a masseur. |
| Mr. Royo was walking around Madrid with a Republican flag, in defiance of the authorities and the 7,000 police officers who had been deployed to help protect the royal day. “The fact that I’ve been told I can’t wave my flag shows you just how little democracy there is in our system,” he said. | Mr. Royo was walking around Madrid with a Republican flag, in defiance of the authorities and the 7,000 police officers who had been deployed to help protect the royal day. “The fact that I’ve been told I can’t wave my flag shows you just how little democracy there is in our system,” he said. |
| Still, thousands took to the streets of Madrid and other cities after Juan Carlos said he would step down to demand a referendum on the monarchy, whose image has been damaged by profligate spending and corruption scandals. | Still, thousands took to the streets of Madrid and other cities after Juan Carlos said he would step down to demand a referendum on the monarchy, whose image has been damaged by profligate spending and corruption scandals. |
| In a nod to a time of austerity for most Spaniards, the ascension was conspicuously restrained, and the guest list was pruned of even royalty from the rest of Europe and foreign leaders. | In a nod to a time of austerity for most Spaniards, the ascension was conspicuously restrained, and the guest list was pruned of even royalty from the rest of Europe and foreign leaders. |
| Juan Carlos was also not in Parliament for the ceremony, but he made a brief appearance on the royal palace’s balcony, kissing his son and waving at the crowd below. Later, Felipe and his wife, Queen Letizia, personally greeted each of the more than 2,000 invitees to the reception held inside the palace. | Juan Carlos was also not in Parliament for the ceremony, but he made a brief appearance on the royal palace’s balcony, kissing his son and waving at the crowd below. Later, Felipe and his wife, Queen Letizia, personally greeted each of the more than 2,000 invitees to the reception held inside the palace. |
| Some guests said that, even if the exact timing was a coincidence, the decline of the soccer team could be seen as part of a broader changing of the guard, following the abdication of Juan Carlos, 76, whose reign lasted 39 years. | Some guests said that, even if the exact timing was a coincidence, the decline of the soccer team could be seen as part of a broader changing of the guard, following the abdication of Juan Carlos, 76, whose reign lasted 39 years. |
| “I think it was the right time for the king to abdicate because he has clearly aged, but so too have our soccer players,” said Luis del Olmo, one of Spain’s most famous radio presenters. | “I think it was the right time for the king to abdicate because he has clearly aged, but so too have our soccer players,” said Luis del Olmo, one of Spain’s most famous radio presenters. |
| “This new king is our big hope,” Mr. del Olmo said, “particularly in terms of reconnecting with our youth, which is understandably demanding some change.” | “This new king is our big hope,” Mr. del Olmo said, “particularly in terms of reconnecting with our youth, which is understandably demanding some change.” |
| Still, large crowds lined the streets of Madrid on Thursday to see their new king drive past in an open-top Rolls-Royce, while others waited outside the royal palace. “We will win soccer matches again soon, but it’s not as if a new king happens every year,” said Elena Ramos, a student, who carried a small Spanish flag. | Still, large crowds lined the streets of Madrid on Thursday to see their new king drive past in an open-top Rolls-Royce, while others waited outside the royal palace. “We will win soccer matches again soon, but it’s not as if a new king happens every year,” said Elena Ramos, a student, who carried a small Spanish flag. |
| Earlier on Thursday, wearing a military uniform and speaking before Parliament, Felipe promised lawmakers “a renovated monarchy for a new time.” In his speech, he mentioned unemployment and Spain’s other economic problems, but he also alluded to territorial tensions, which have come to the fore in Catalonia, whose regional government plans an independence referendum in November. “In this united and diverse Spain, based on the equality and solidarity among its people, we can all fit,” he said. | Earlier on Thursday, wearing a military uniform and speaking before Parliament, Felipe promised lawmakers “a renovated monarchy for a new time.” In his speech, he mentioned unemployment and Spain’s other economic problems, but he also alluded to territorial tensions, which have come to the fore in Catalonia, whose regional government plans an independence referendum in November. “In this united and diverse Spain, based on the equality and solidarity among its people, we can all fit,” he said. |
| Some of the parliamentarians’ loudest applause went to Felipe’s mother, Queen Sofia, who, unlike Juan Carlos, was in Parliament and blew a kiss to her son after he praised her during his speech, in a voice shaking with emotion. | Some of the parliamentarians’ loudest applause went to Felipe’s mother, Queen Sofia, who, unlike Juan Carlos, was in Parliament and blew a kiss to her son after he praised her during his speech, in a voice shaking with emotion. |
| Felipe closed his speech by adding a few words in Catalan, Basque and Galician, Spain’s three regional languages, and added a message of humility. | Felipe closed his speech by adding a few words in Catalan, Basque and Galician, Spain’s three regional languages, and added a message of humility. |
| “I feel proud of Spaniards, and nothing would honor me more than if through my work and my daily efforts Spaniards would feel proud of me,” the new king said. | “I feel proud of Spaniards, and nothing would honor me more than if through my work and my daily efforts Spaniards would feel proud of me,” the new king said. |
| But in a sign of the political tensions that face the new monarch, the heads of the regional governments of Catalonia and the Basque Country did not join the applause at the end of the speech. | But in a sign of the political tensions that face the new monarch, the heads of the regional governments of Catalonia and the Basque Country did not join the applause at the end of the speech. |
| “The king opens another chapter and must bring new vitality to a Spanish democracy that needs it, especially as we are still going through a period of economic hardship,” said Joan Lerma, a senator and former Socialist minister. | “The king opens another chapter and must bring new vitality to a Spanish democracy that needs it, especially as we are still going through a period of economic hardship,” said Joan Lerma, a senator and former Socialist minister. |
| The fact that some soccer players are now expected to leave the national team and follow the example of the ailing Juan Carlos “gives the idea that this is the end of an era, but it’s too early to make forecasts and decide that the next one cannot be better,” Mr. Lerma said. | The fact that some soccer players are now expected to leave the national team and follow the example of the ailing Juan Carlos “gives the idea that this is the end of an era, but it’s too early to make forecasts and decide that the next one cannot be better,” Mr. Lerma said. |
| “Remember that only a few years ago, before our team started bringing us so much joy, we were in fact used to losing,” he said. | “Remember that only a few years ago, before our team started bringing us so much joy, we were in fact used to losing,” he said. |