Santi Cazorla will not be sitting comfortably when he settles down in London to watch Sunday’s World Cup final.
The Arsenal playmaker still finds it hard to believe that he isn’t in Rio de Janeiro, preparing for what should be the most important match of his career.
Cazorla was part of the hotly-tipped Spain squad that travelled to Brazil expected to sweep towards their fourth-consecutive international title.
La Roja were predicted to head the European challenge at the event, but a nightmare fortnight saw the previously all-conquering team dumped out in the group stage after the cataclysmic 5-1 thrashing by the Netherlands and limp 2-0 defeat to Chile.
Speaking at the launch of Arsenal’s new kit deal with PUMA, the 28-year-old – who missed the 2010 competition through injury – admitted there will be plenty of regret when he watches the biggest global event in world sport.
“Yes, absolutely,” he replied when asked would it be painful watching the game. “We all wanted to be there in the spot where Germany and Argentina are now.
“We all wanted to play the final. But now it is Germany v Argentina – they are two great teams.
“But this is how football is. You have to learn how to lose and accept the defeat. We continue with that, and will now watch the final.”
Although Spain’s glorious run-in which the nation spectacularly dismissed their tag as football’s great underachievers with victories at Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012 – came to a shuddering halt in South America, Cazorla retains a vested interest in the showpiece event at Estadio Maracana.
Arsenal boast a trio of Germany internationals in head coach Joachim Low’s squad in Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski. Club ties obviously carry a lot of weight for Cazorla, there can be no doubt who he will be cheering on now Spain are not present.
He added: “Yes, of course I want Germany to win. It would be very nice for my friends to win.
“I am in touch with them on a daily basis, and it would be very nice if they could come back as world champions.”
Germany have swaggered their way into the final, producing one of the great displays in the tournament’s history to break the hearts of a nation and thrash hapless hosts Brazil 7-1 in the semi-final.
There has been a more mundane path for rivals Argentina, edging past Switzerland and Belgium before requiring penalties in the tense last-four meeting with the Netherlands.
Form points to a victory for Die Mannscahft, but Cazorla finds it much more tricky to separate two sides of whom he possesses the greatest respect.
“It is difficult to say [who will win]. Both teams are world class teams,” the former Villarreal and Malaga midfielder said. “At the moment, Germany are playing a little bit better, but you know how football is, you can never predict the score of a game.”
Cazorla was speaking at the launch of Arsenal’s new PUMA kit for the 2014/15 season. The English capital came to a standstill with Arsenal transforming the London Eye into the Premier League giant’s iconic Clock End.
A crowd gathered along the north bank of the River Thames to witness the stunning 20m high water projection which showcased all three new outfits, marking the beginning of a deal believed to be worth £150m (Dh994m) over the next five years.
The use of the Clock End in the kit presentation was a nod to tradition, the giant timepiece becoming synonymous with the FA Cup holders at former ground Highbury before following them to the Emirates Stadium in 2006.
“This is a big day for Arsenal,” Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said. “It is the start of our new partnership with PUMA, and everyone here is extremely happy with how things are developing.”
