Juanma Lillo, a former coach in Spain's La Liga, is seen as a soccer swami for pioneering the 4-2-3-1 formation that has been used by six of the 16 teams at the Euro.

WSJ: Euro 2012: Germany, Italy and the Fraudulence of Soccer Formations

While Mr. Cruyff gets much of the credit for transforming Spain's approach, its recent success owes just as much to a little-known coach named Juanma Lillo, who devised the tactical framework that has underpinned La Roja's success.

WSJ: La Roja: How Spain Became the World's Best Soccer Team