Is it the end of tiki-taka? Del Bosque might disagree but the clinical humiliation of the defending champions by Holland suggests that it just might be.
Revenge is best served cold, and Louis van Gaal's brand of total football left Spain stunned and in the end, shattered in a complete reversal of last world cup's final.
For Arjen Robben too this was redemption. The villain of 2010 ended up basking in the glory of a scintillating performance that left his coach smiling.
Over the last two seasons, we have seen Pep Guardiola's Barcelona and Bayern Munich sides lose out to counter attacking football in the Champions League, but despite that nobody expected the score line in Salvador.
Van Gaal the master tactician turned his weakness into strength. The youth and inexperience of the Oranje was expected to crumble under the relentless pressure of Xavi, Iniesta, Alonso and Ramos, but the likes of Daley Blind, Ron Vlaar and Stefan de Vrij turned in a performance of a lifetime.
Daley Blind was especially good. He got 43-of-53 passes on target and had 4 of the Netherlands' 10 chances created and 2 assists.
Spain's big shortcoming was at the head of their attack. Blessed with a murder of midfielders, the Armada lack a finisher of the level of a Robin van Persie or Arjen Robben. Diego Costa seemed out of depth, and the striker who shone at Athletico Madrid seemed ill-suited to Spain's style of play.
His replacement Fernando Torres has been out of form for so long that it has now become more than a simple striker's block. His ability is now constantly under the scanner and he did his cause no good by missing an open goal in the closing minutes of the match.
This inadequacy in the champions will be exploited by others too. It's like a sore that has now been exposed and runs the risk of catching an infection.
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