He was referring to his final match against Novak Djokovic and his national soccer team’s duel against England for the European Cup trophy.

It turned out Alcaraz was not kidding. He went on to dominate the battle of ages in straight sets to win his second Wimbledon title, his fourth Grand Slam in the last two years. Considering his young age, 21, he stands a good chance of collecting more Grand Slam titles and beating Djokovic’s remarkable record of 24.

Just a few hours after Alcaraz lifted the championship trophy, Spain outlasted England in the Euro 2024 final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin to win a record fourth title. The trophy capped Spain’s perfect showing, which saw the Spaniards win all their games during the month-long quadrennial tournament.

Spain’s triumphant run at the European Cup only proves that the regeneration of soccer talent in the country works well. The winning team this year comprised players of a new generation who were unheard of when the last time Spain emerged as European champion in 2012, except Jesus Navas.

The same story goes for Alcaraz, who represents the new generation of Spanish tennis players who now are following in the footsteps of the likes of Rafael Nadal, winner of 22 Grand Slam titles, including a record 14 from the French Open.

Spain’s success in sports, especially in soccer, should come as no surprise. La Liga, the premier soccer league in Spain is one of the best, if not one of the most lucrative, in the world. The league has produced European and world champions and become a dream destination for the cream of the cream of players from across the world, on top of the English premier league.

Like any other soccer powerhouses, Spain is now harvesting what it sowed. Its winning team is the fruit of hard work, patience and consistency to build a team from an early age.

Not only do Spanish people like soccer. They love, if not are mad about, the sport. The Spanish national team jersey is seen in almost all corners of cities. Parents eagerly watch and support their children play in soccer tournaments.

Soccer has developed well in Spain, thanks to a strong and efficient organization. At the soccer school level only a few people are hired for supporting work. But when it comes to training, the school may employ dozens of coaches, allowing each of them to focus on several players.

The children are accustomed to competition from an early age, by taking part in tournaments for various age groups. They simply learn and grow in a competitive environment, which they need before they move on to clubs.

Such a soccer-loving culture has helped Spain and other nations build a strong team and develop home-grown players.

Indonesia shares the same enthusiasm about soccer and has talent in abundance. It is unfair to compare Indonesia with Spain, where soccer has been deep rooted for more than a century. But Spain is a model that Indonesia can emulate to develop its soccer talent.

In fact, Indonesia is showing its mettle in Southeast Asia, even Asia. The young national team has won age-group tournaments and reached the Asian Cup semifinals for the first time this year, thanks in part to naturalized players.

Learning from the world-beating teams, building the mentality of a champion is the key to success. Great sportsmen and women emerge as winners because they push themselves to be better than they were yesterday.