Bayern Munich’s 4-0 loss to Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League tie last April should have never happened.

Pep Guardiola had it right the first time. Only down a goal, he settled on 3-4-3 formation with a plan to play to his side’s strength of possession in search for the tying score. The packed midfield would also slow down Real Madrid’s biggest strength: their track speed counter attacks.

In this world, Bayern Munich would have found a goal sometime late in the first half. The second half would be a cautious midfield battle. Players from both sides would slowly fade in extra time, with Bayern players gaining strength from the home crowd. Maybe Mario Götze scores the game winner in extra time.

As documented in Marti Perarnau’s book about Guardiola’s first season with the German giants, he lost his nerve and switched to an all out 4-2-4 formation, devoid of any midfield cover, in search of blitzing Real Madrid. The plan backfired spectacularly, and with three goals in the first 34 minutes, Real Madrid found the attacking glory.

We know the characteristics needed to succeed in the modern European game: speed, technique and power. But it was another thing entirely to see it completely submit the architect of the most mythologized style of play in recent history. For all the criticism of tiki taka - mostly, that it was boring - it was successful. But boring, and humiliating? Carlo Ancelotti’s sledgehammer made sure there were no more pieces left to put back together.

Real Madrid’s third goal began with Gareth Bale intercepting a pass just above his box, and squaring the ball to Angel Di Maria at 33 minutes and 16 seconds into the first half. Di Maria took two dribbles and played Karim Benzema wide, who took his first touch to control, and played Bale with his second. Bale took two dribbles into Bayern’s box and squared the ball to Ronaldo, who made no mistake. The sequence spanned nine touches in 12 seconds, covering the length of the field. Orchestrated movements spanning 30 passes in a row this was not.

There’s a saying somewhere about those not knowing history, and repeating it. Spain’s ouster at the World Cup three months later, specifically their 5-1 loss against Holland, made certain that tiki taka was the death heard around the world

Robin Van Persie’s goal to tie the match just before halftime may have been the goal of the entire World Cup. The ball is played out the back to Daley Blind, who takes two touches before sending in a cross from the half line onto Van Persie’s head, and into the goal. The entire sequence took seven seconds from end to end. The side added four more goals in a span of 27 minutes to end the match.

Enter Ronaldo

There wasn’t a single match or moment when Ronaldo overtook Messi as the best player in the world in 2014. But 56 goals in 51 matches, along with a Champions League medal, goes a long way in the debate.

The annual title of “Best Player in the World” is some mixture of that player’s dominance (which the player can control), and personifying the ideas and tactics of the era (not in the player’s control). And who better than Ronaldo to represent 2014’s year of directness, speed and goalscoring? 

Real Madrid finished the year winning 22 straight matches, scoring 81 goals in that span. With Gareth Bale, Isco, James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos all under 25, they will continue to climb year end player lists. With Ancelotti the master of balancing midfields and egos, Real Madrid will be the symbolic figurehead of modern soccer for years to come (succumbing to sleepless nights over tactics doesn’t seem to fit his personality).

Actually, it’d be more appropriate to say that “Real Madrid should be the symbolic figurehead”. It was no less than a year ago when we considered whether Bayern Munich side were the “Best Team Ever” and gatekeepers of the modern game as they won the Bundesliga in record time, using innovative formations and positioning (The Guardian’s list includes Manuel Neuer at No. 3, he of the sweeper keeper realm). Matches felt like science labs as much as sporting events. How much possession could Bayern Munich have this game? What invented spaces would Robben attack? Then, of course, came the fateful second leg in April. 

Guardiola called the loss his “biggest f---- up of my life as a coach”, and blamed his belief in a spirit and heart to win a match instead of sticking with his design he meticulously crafted since returning from retirement the previous summer. That’s easier than the alternative explanation, that it wasn’t only a tactical mistake that lead to the humiliating loss, but something structurally deeper. And it’s certainly easier than concluding that Real Madrid’s victory, orchestrated by the Best Player in 2014, was just a sign of the times.