Spain’s disastrous World Cup has signalled the end of an era according to Xabi Alonso.

La Furia Roja’s (the Red Fury) 5-1 defeat to Holland last week and the 2-0 defeat to Chile on Wednesday night sent the reigning World Cup champions crashing out of the tournament.

On their way to victory in 2010, they conceded two goals all tournament but have already conceded seven in their opening two games and have only scored one goal.

With many of the key players the wrong side of 30, Alonso admits that things will now change for a team that have been knocked out of a major tournament for the first time in 8 years.

Alonso said: “Things are going to change. Eras end with defeats and this was a painful defeat.

“It’s a completely unexpected failure but that is sport. These things happen. It was unexpected but we have to take the great sadnesses in the same way as we take the great joys, as men.”

The former Liverpool player has put their failure this summer to a loss of hunger and determination from a group of players that have have been dubbed the greatest national side of all time.

He added: “I believe that we haven’t been able to maintain the same levels of conviction, of hunger. The success, the happiness of before is gone, it’s run out and we haven’t been able to keep it going.

“We’ve made lots of mistakes, we’ve lost a bit of our know-how and we’ve paid for it with our solidity that had helped us win so many games.

“We’ve not been able to keep the same levels of ambition and hunger, perhaps the real conviction to go for the championship.”