The coach, the Polynesian Island and the Spaniard: The art of being a loser

Tahiti holds up a sign reading ‘Obrigado Brasil’ after the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 Group B match between Uruguay and Tahiti at Arena Pernambuco on June 22, 2013 in Recife, Brazil

Unlike the Spurs, who were on the brink of making the title their own at several points during the NBA Finals, the Tahiti national football side never stood a chance in the Confederations Cup. They lost all three of their group stage matches by scorelines of 6-1, 8-0 and 10-0 respectively, setting a record as the least successful team in Confederations Cup history.

The results were hardly surprising. Tahiti were a surprise addition to the tournament after somehow defeating New Zealand to claim the 2012 Oceania Football Confederation Nations Cup, a victory that earned them the right to appear with the world’s best in Brazil.

From the moment they qualified, Tahiti knew they were going to lose and so did everybody else. It was inevitable. They are a team of mainly amateurs competing against some of the most talented football players on the entire planet.

In that way it makes it easier for the Tahitians to accept defeat. Knowing they were outmatched and out of their depth, it would have been much easier to be gracious when the inevitable defeats eventually came. Even if it is by the sort of scorelines usually reserved for lopsided Sunday morning pub league games.

But what Tahiti showed us was a different kind of class. It was not the class that Coach Popovich and the Spurs showed by being gracious and humble losers. That would have come easily for the already humble underdogs. What Tahiti showed us was how to lose in the right way.

Losing with class and dignity is not just about your reaction at the final whistle, but your reaction throughout the entire contest. In all three of Tahiti’s heavy losses, the (mostly) amateur side acquitted themselves well, refusing to withdraw into defence and insisting instead on playing positive, attacking football with a fast pace and a high line.

Their efforts landed them with a minus 23 goal difference. But it also awarded them the respect of their opponents, and in turn the footballing world. Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque praised the Tahitians after his side handed them a 10-0 thrashing, telling journalists: “It was quite humbling to play against them. They were sporting, they played fairly well and every time they got the ball they tried to attack us. They were noble opponents”.

Nigerian forward Nnamdi Oduamadi offered similar praise after scoring against the Tahitians in Nigeria’s 6-1 victory in the opening game, saying: “Tahiti came out to fight like lions.“

Before bowing out at the end of their journey, the Tahitians gave us one final display of the admirable character that has quickly made them a fan favourite in Brazil this year. The squad paraded around the Maracana stadium sporting Brazil flags and a large banner which read “Thank You Brazil” in Portuguese.

Not many teams can walk away from a tournament with their pride intact after such crushing defeats, but after the effort and positivity with which Tahiti approached their inaugural Confederations Cup campaign, that is exactly what they have done.