It now is a familiar story to read about Spanish Football Players making a jump out of Spain to play in overseas Clubs. But it was not like this at all until recent years. This "phenomenon" is new as traditionally Spanish Soccer players preferred to stay in Spain even if that meant not playing at all.
The reasons for being reluctant in this aspect, in my opinion, were two: cultural & lack of prestige overseas. The first comes from a lack of International awareness & primarily from not being able to dominant a foreign language. This last is still a problem in Spain as very few ( relatively ) speak well other languages especially English. The decades of European isolation under Dictator Franco ( 1939 - 1973 ) created a "bubble" that due to propaganda reasons had everyone believe that Spain was the centre of the World & languages was not a bonus. This along with strong family ties lead to a low desire to leave & an inferiority complex - or scare - with everything related with outside Spain. Basically without knowledge of overseas cultures & language leaving home was not an option. Said this, paradoxically those who could not earn a living from Football immigrated by the their hundreds of thousands lead by need.
The second aspect is the lack of knowledge of Spanish Football players overseas. The explosion of the current generation of Spanish Football Players has placed Spain & its Footballers in the Nº1 World Football position, just like Brazilians back in the 1950s - 80s. The incredible achievements of winning the Euro 2008 - World Cup 2010 - Euro 2012, along with dominating European Football at Club level has turned Spanish Football Players into high valued assets that every Club wishes to have in their squad.
The Spanish Football pioneers in making the jump overseas are many & now househlod names here & in Europe. Remember the wave the went to Liverpool FC ? Coach Benitez, Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa , Reina & Torres, which gave the Club a European Title ? Arteta to Everton, Cesc Fabregas to Arsenal, Mata to Chelsea, Silva to Man City, De Gea at Man Utd, Raul Gonzalez to Schalke 04...now Bojan to MIlan, Michu at Swansea, Cazorla & now Monreal to Arsenal...the list goes on & on.
Overcoming cultural & personal barriers has in return bettered Spanish Football & more so the Spanish National Team. Those Internationals playing overseas have brought back "new ways" of playing with has enriched the National side & has played a part in their recent success.
Monreal is just the last that has endeavoured to play away from home which will enrich is profession Football career & his personal life. New horizons, new adventures & new friends are nothing to be sacred about, & return we back home gain in the new Football ideas won & to be applied locally by those that left & later returned.
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