Euro Wrap: Spain 1-0 Germany

Photo credit: FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images

It’s really happened. Spain are Euro 2008 champions with a well earned 1-0 win over Germany.

Review of the game and video of Fernando Torres’ winning goal below…

FINAL	June 29th, 2045 CET, Vienna (Austria)
Germany 0 VS Spain 1   Torres 32′

Only 1-0 in the end, but probably the most convincing 1-0 win I’ve seen in a long time. Spain were just… better.

Pre-match thoughts that Frings and Ballack would physically dominate the diddy-men of Spain’s midfield proved false. Cesc Fabregas maybe didn’t do much, but Xavi pulled several strings while Marcos Senna did the much needed enforcement. After Senna’s performance, one 11th of this trophy should go to Brazil.

Rough day for Micheal Ballack. He started even though his fitness was questionable, and had a decent game. But didn’t put in the expected domineering performance. Ballack’s record in big finals is now: runner up in the 2002 and 2008 Champions League finals, suspended for the 2002 World Cup final despite dragging an average German team there with his bare hands feet and no runner-up in the Euro 2008 final.

In truth, Germany haven’t been particularly impressive at Euro 2008. They dismantled Portugal but lost to Croatia, got lucky against Turkey and were average against Poland and Austria.

Spain on the other hand have been electric. Lots of possession and short passes, lots of inventiveness and incisive through balls, a solid enough defence (looking at you Carles Puyol and Iker Casillas) and a constant attacking threat.

The goal that made the difference today came from Fernando Torres. He out-muscled and out-hustled Phillip Lahm for a through ball and chipped it over Mad Jens who had made a mad dash to come out and meet him. Anyone who still says Torres isn’t a natural goalscorer should be quiet now.

Tough as it is to praise a grumpy old racist like Luis Aragones, the Spain coach made all the right moves today. With David Villa injured he picked a five man midfield and didn’t give Germany enough room. I thought starting Torres up front on his own was a mistake, but clearly I was wrong.

So, after 44 years of disappointment, Spain are European champions. All the old adages about Spain “falling apart” and “struggling when it matters” and all that stuff can be thrown in the bin. Spain are European Champions for the next four years, and a very serious force in world football for the foreseeable future.