And now? Spend some time thinking, determining what is most important and urgent, proposing, demanding...

It was true: Where there are two, there are three. This was a great victory. I am very happy about it. 

But now this magical time has passed. For three months we have lived immersed in an unprecedented media campaign, in our own country and in the other teams’ countries. Impassioned crowds fascinated and captivated by so many communications media, until this has become a genuine obsession. 

But now it’s over. Now while basking in the glow of this well-deserved resounding football victory, it is also time to cease to act like dazed and impassive spectators to assume the role of citizens who are aware of the present situation both locally and globally, and act in consequence. The time has arrived to face the essential challenges and our intergenerational responsibilities. 

The circus is over. Now, the bread... 

In the European Union we can no longer allow the markets to impose their laws and to appoint prime ministers who they, in fact, govern. 

We can no longer allow banking institutions to produce deficits of thousands of millions of euros, and which are rescued with no sanctions whatsoever. 7

While budget cuts are being made in education, healthcare and R+D+i... 

Mindful only of the gale winds of the risk premiums, they impose upon us inadmissible autocratic measures: suppression of education for citizenship; dictatorial appointment of the new directors of TVE1, one of the best and most well-balanced services currently existing in Spain; and fiscal amnesty measures that don’t exactly foment solidarity in the future. 

Thank goodness for the freedom of expression that cyberspace affords us; thank goodness that some of the communications media, rowing against the tide, continue to reflect balanced opinions. 

An authentic entertainment “bubble” is being promoted at the global level, and it will soon burst, because sooner or later, after having paid their homage to Spain’s football success, many citizens will start to address the relevant questions of the present and future. And they will mobilize and propose solutions and demand changes. 

From now on and after the Olympic Games, how can Spaniards be motivated or distracted? 

I wish to underscore that this victory was a good thing. It had become a supreme requisite for our national pride. It’s true that we have an exceptional team, with players and a coach that are not only good on the playing field, but in their attitudes, statements and style. Viva! 

But now the time has come to cross our “T’s”, the time has come to “make history” in a different way. To build a united Europe, to forge special contacts with Latin America... The time has come to create a world, to care for the earth, to remake a strong and democratic multilateral system and put an end to the unfortunate intentions of the plutocrats. 

The solution is democracy, more and better democracy on all levels: personal, local global. 

The time has come for reaching important agreements on education, health and science. The time has come to prevent the discriminatory and arbitrary measures that characterize parliamentary majorities. They may be legal, but they are not democratic. 

The dense fog of this national distraction has dissipated. Satisfied, filled with pride... 

But I must now insist that the present popular commotion and excitement must now give way to daily action in defense of principles and values (that have erroneously been replaced by those of the marketplace), in defense of equal dignity without exception; in defense of full citizenship!