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Twilight for Busquets, last of Spain’s champs at World Cup

AL RAYYAN, Qatar: Sergio Busquets stood in the center circle, hands on hips, a blank look on his face.

He reached soccer’s top step with Spain and now had been stung by La Roja’s third straight elimination from a major tournament on penalty kicks, this time 3-0 to Morocco after a 0-0 draw Tuesday in the round of 16 of the World Cup.

Spain have become a team of the past, their passing game passé.

“What we did was dominate the game but we lacked the goal, that is the reality,” Spain coach Luis Enrique said through a translator, accepting defeat without anger or expressions of sorrow. “There is no point in punishing oneself.”

Now 34, Busquets contributed to Spain’s demise.

Morocco had taken a 1-0 lead in the shootout when Pablo Sarabia put his attempt off a post, and Carlos Soler’s effort was blocked by diving goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, keeping the Moroccans ahead 2-0. Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon saved Badr Benoun’s effort, and Bounoun leaped to his right and batted away Busquets’ penalty. Achraf Hakimi followed with the winner.

“It’s always a tossup. This time we got tails,” Busquets said. “We missed the first three penalties, and then it’s very difficult to go through.”

Four years ago, Busquets didn’t shoot in the penalty-kick loss to Russia, also in round of 16. Last year, he hooked a shot and hit a post with the opening kick as Spain beat Switzerland in the European Championship quarterfinals.

One by one, Spain’s greatest generation has aged out of the national team, the defensive duo of Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique, the steady superiority of goalkeeper “San Iker” Casillas and the dazzling duo of the midfield, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. Of the 2012 European champions, only Busquets in defensive

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