DHAKA: It seems it never rains but it pours for the Spain national team. Just as they were touching down at Madrid's Adolfo Suárez - Barajas airport, the team's plane was hit by lightning, giving everyone on board a fright.

After beating Australia 3-0 in La Roja's last game in the Brazil World Cup, Del Bosque and his men took to the skies on flight Iberia 2907, which arrived at Madrid airport at 12:00. The players, all dressed in black tracksuits with green stripes and emblem, left the airport in vans without saying a word to the media.

La Roja have given their worst-ever World Cup performance in the final stages of the competition, being eliminated in the first round with just three points and a goal difference of -3. An all-time worst result.

In the previous four times Spain have taken part in the tournament, they had never before played the last match of the first round with absolutely no chance of qualifying, as they did on Monday. And only twice before have they only won one of the three games played. With many players and Del Bosque's future up in the air, La Roja now start a new era.

Source: Marca

BDST: 1313 HRS, JUNE 25, 2014