The Spanish Empire may have been the world's first global empire, but by the 19th century it was collapsing in on itself. Spain had a bit of a comeback, nabbing a few colonies in Africa, but was largely excluded from the age of new imperialism. So how late is too late for Spain to get its act together and join in the various colonial scrambles of the 19th and 20th centuries? Bonus points if the POD occurs in the 19th century itself, but any input is appreciated.