Maybe they just couldn't believe it: Spain still can't seem to lift its curse at major tournaments and it all proved to be too much for the citizens of Madrid, who erupted into violence yesterday following Spain's elimination by France. Municipal police officers drew their clubs on several young people who jumped into a fountain after a broadcast a live broadcast of the game in Madrid. Fans responded by throwing bottles, leading police to charge at them. In the end, fifteen people and one police officer were hospitalized and 12 were arrested. The daily newspaper El Pais said the officers acted arbitrarily, attacking innocents trying to flee the square peacefully, as well as small children, couples and journalists. Pockets of violence broke out across the night throughout the city. The press meanwhile, bemoaned the national team's inability to lift its curse, which has never seen the Spaniards past the quarterfinals since 1950. One headline read, "Back home, as always." The newspaper As praised French star Zidane in delivering the final blow: "He delivered the coup de grace, and you can almost say that it was a good death," the paper said in an editorial. "The last thing we saw while we were still alive in this World Cup was the gallop, the dribble, the shot by Zidane."

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