The most compelling commercial — in any language — of this World Cup belongs to the Bank of Chile.

It is less an advertisement than an emotional exhortation for La Roja, Chile’s team, to accomplish the remarkable.

"Nothing is impossible for a Chilean," it declares in a stirring testimonial featuring many of the 33 miners who endured 69 days in a collapsed mine just after the 2010 World Cup. 

Whether La Roja (The Red), whose furthest progression in the competition has been the 1962 semifinals, can go on to win the World Cup remains to be seen, but the 2-0 elimination of defending champion Spain has served to spread hope and inspiration well beyond South America’s Pacific Coast.

For not only is Spain the first defending champion eliminated with a game still left in the group stage and Chile assured a place in the round of 16, it marks the end of an era. It is a conclusion to the reign of Spain that is as noteworthy for its swiftness as its eventual shocking ease.

In Spain, where King Juan Carlos was hours away from officially abdicating his throne Wednesday, the country’s World Cup team beat him to it, relinquishing theirs.

The six-year soccer rule of Spain sandwiched two European Championships (2008 and ’12) around the 2010 World Cup in a trifecta never before accomplished. 

With 16 of the 23 members of Spain’s 2010 team back on the roster, there had been the hope on the Iberian peninsula, if not an expectation, of one more run for history before the team, average age 27.8 years, was finished.

Instead, it was left to La Roja to complete the dismantling of Spain’s dynasty begun by the Netherlands, by taking apart its vaunted "tiki-taka" quick passing, ball-control game. They did it with an energized pressing defense that fed off its success as it sapped Spain.

Even when Spain got its shots, it missed them. Often badly. Sergio Busquets’ wide left shank at an invitingly open net 53 minutes into the match pretty much sealed Spain’s fate as coach Vicente del Bosque’s hands-on-head disbelief and Diego Costa’s frustration seemed to underline.

Of course, the pique of the Brazilian-born Costa was pure schadenfreude to the home crowd that taunted him as a traitor, and worse, every time he touched the ball.

Small wonder there were "Espana adios" signs jubilantly being waved among the crowd at famed Maracana Stadium, where the host Brazilians, who have not made it look easy so far, head a list of hopefuls eager to supplant Spain. 

While there was dancing in Santiago, Chile, and Rio de Janeiro, the joy was widespread. Among the hopefuls now, as oddsmakers readjust their numbers, you’d certainly have to list the Netherlands, which rocked Spain, 5-1, in the group "B" opener, Germany, Argentina, Italy …

Fact is it is pretty much anybody’s Cup to win as we head toward the knockout round.

Or, as the miners from Atacama put it in the bank commercial between the chants of "Chi! Chi! Chi Le! Le! Le!" — nothing is impossible.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.