After one match, the entire outlook of the 2014 World Cup has changed.

With a year to go before the biggest international event in the sport, Spain was the clear favorite to once again earn the title of world champs. The squad is not only immensely talented and experienced, but it has won each of the last two European championships to go along with the 2010 World Cup.

Additionally, that success has carried over to other competitive matches. As Paul Carr of ESPN noted, the team entered the Confederations Cup final on an impressive streak:

However, Brazil ended that run in dominant fashion with a 3-0 rout of Spain on Sunday.

Fred got the host squad off to a great start with a goal from the ground less than two minutes into the match. Neymar then doubled the lead with this top-shelf shot shortly before halftime:

This was the fourth goal of the tournament to go with two assists in five matches. It was truly a breakout performance for the 21-year-old player, who joined Barcelona earlier in the summer.

After a second score by Fred shortly after intermission, it was clear that the match was over as Brazil was easily the better team on the day.

Although this is the third Confederations Cup title in a row for the Selecao, this one certainly had a different feel. Not only was the final at Estadio do Maracana in front of the home fans, but there was a real energy from the players as they continued to gain confidence throughout the tournament.

Unlike the last two World Cups where Brazil was knocked out in the quarterfinals, the team should be a serious favorite to win it all next year. After getting big-time contributions from young players who will only get better like Neymar, Oscar and Paulinho, it is hard to argue against this being one of the best teams in the world.

Now that the squad knows it is capable of defeating the best opponent out there, it will be even better in next summer’s tournament.

Of course, the impact of this match was twofold. As much as this boosts Brazil’s profile heading into the World Cup, it was also incredibly concerning for Spain.

The squad has utilized a tiki-taka approach to a great amount of success over the better part of a decade. The talented midfield holds onto possession of the ball as long as possible and the opposing team can only sit and wait.

In most matches, this leads to better scoring opportunities and a lack of chances on the other end of the pitch.

However, the past year has seen this strategy fail in big matches. Most notably, Bayern Munich dominated Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals to win 7-0 in aggregate score between two matches.

Brazil utilized the same type of aggressive strategy against Spain. Every pass was pressured, and the team was great on counterattacks to score multiple times.

While not every team has the personnel to pull this off, the strategy for defeating La Roja is out there. This is certain to hurt Spain going forward, especially against other talented teams in the World Cup.

Obviously, a squad that includes Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Cesc Fabregas and others should not be counted out. In reality, the team will still enter the tournament as the favorite to win again. 

Still, the team’s hopes took a big hit on Sunday, and other squads are certain to provide tougher challenges down the line.

The Confederations Cup final was one of the most highly anticipated matches in a long time. The contest did not disappoint, and the end result greatly changed the face of international football for the near future.

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