After dominating global football by winning the World Cup in 2010 and the last two European championships, Spain may have suffered from a lack of adrenaline going into their opening Group B match on Friday which they lost 5-1, Houllier said.
"Sometimes it’s difficult to keep the hunger, the motivation," Houllier told reporters.
"Fortunately, maybe one good defeat brings you back to reality and you get back into it," he added, recalling how Spain lost to Switzerland in their opening match of the 2010 World Cup which they eventually won.
Houllier said Spain played "extremely well" in the first half of Friday's game. But he hailed the Netherlands as "practically untouchable" in the second period when they tore Spain apart and scored four goals.
Houllier, who heads a team of technical analysts at FIFA, world soccer's governing body, said a factor behind the result was the involvement of several Spain players in the end-of-season Champions League final in May between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid which went to extra time.
It was a "nerve-breaking final and drained a lot of energy. Maybe next time will be better (for Spain)," he said.
Houllier also said it was too soon to declare the end of Spain's style of short-passing, possession-based football that has been the base of their recent triumphs.
"It’s very difficult to say this is obsolete, we need more direct football. This is the beauty of football. You have trends you have cycles," Houllier said.
(Writing by William Schomberg; editing by Justin Palmer)
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