Tiki-taka was pronounced dead at 5:49 pm on Wednesday.

The brand of soccer that Spain had developed over the last few ­decades, which had come to fruition in the trophies won by FC ­Barcelona and the Spanish national side over the last eight or so years has ceased to be.

A season where its finest ­tactician, Pep Guardiola, was out thought and out fought in the Champions League by his ­antithesis, the dynamic, counterattacking Real Madrid, and his alma mater-cum-legacy at Barcelona failed to win a major trophy, seemed like a warning sign. Spain crashing out of the World Cup ­after two group games is the soccer equivalent of a cardiac arrest with no chance of resuscitation.

On Wednesday, Chile carried on where the Netherlands left off. Ignoring the air of invulnerability that had surrounded the Spanish national team since before the South African World Cup, they took the game to Spain by pressing hard, attacking from the off and looking to bypass their preposterously talented midfield at every opportunity. The game plan paid off yet again.

Spain's squad at this World Cup contained 1,382 international caps coming into the competition. They had also won several hundred top club and international honors between them, including many being winners of both the last World Cup and the past two European Championships. However, this is soccer and Spain's system and the ­personnel employed in it had ­become staid, predictable and ­finally beatable.

Where does this leave Spanish soccer?

Casillas, Xavi, Xabi Alonso and perhaps even Ineista ought to ­retire. These automatic starters could smash all-time appearance records but in doing so stilt the development of their upcoming compatriots. The likes of David de Gea and Juan Mata are experienced footballers who deserve to test their mettle on the international stage and prove themselves worthy successors. Beyond that generation, the Spanish Under-21 team has won the last two U-21 European Championships so there are quality youth players available to blood in, such as Isco, Jese, Asier Illaramendi and Alvaro Morata. The system is clearly working at youth level but needs tweaking for soccer's peak. Players like Jesus Navas, who was injured this campaign, could also inject much-needed pace to add a different option to possession play.

Soccer is cyclical and ever-­developing. We may have said ciao for now to the carousel and ta-ta to tiki-taka but Spanish soccer and the players it produces are too good to be kept down for long.