FIFA 2010: World Cup Final

The Netherlands 0 Spain 1

The FIFA 2010 World Cup final was not the prettiest game I’ve ever seen and many will say that it was not a good advertisement for World soccer. However, when two teams like Spain and The Netherlands meet, it’s actually difficult to see how a game could have been any different.

Most of the players know each other so well, that it was going to be impossible for a free flowing attacking game that we all hoped for to materialize and the resulting game was more like a game of chess (or battle chess) where strategy and brawn were used to try and gain a win.

There’s no doubt that The Netherlands came to disrupt the Spanish passing game and then force their own presence on the game to try and get the winning goal – and for 90 minutes it looked like this would work as The Netherlands frustrated the Spanish team and had the better of the goal scoring chances.

As the game continued it seemed only a matter of time before someone would get sent off – The Netherlands could have been down to nine men very easily, and while some will claim they were hard done by not to have a Spanish defender sent off just before the Spanish goal, on the balance of it – The Netherlands were lucky to finish Extra time with 10 men!

There was some attractive football played from both teams though – it was only a spattering of what we expected, but some of the clinical passing of the Spanish got through The Netherlands back line many times, creating several half chances.

The Netherlands looked to play break away football at times, and their dynamic speed caught the Spanish team out a couple of times and they perhaps could have won the game with a few minutes to go!

As it happened, 0-0 was probably a fair result after 90 minutes as neither side really dominated. Once extra time started though, there really was only one team in it – wave after wave of controlled passing attacks by the Spanish created plenty of room and The Netherland defense was scrambling at times – The Netherlands did have a  couple of chances, but I felt that Spain shaded the extra time and in the end were the better team.

On the day The Netherlands will perhaps be a little disappointed that they didn’t show their true skill – the game ended up being a bad tempered one and will be forgotten by all except the Spanish fans. But Spain are the World champions, and overall you have to admit they are the best side in the World!

Preview:

Well the FIFA 2010 World Cup started on June 11th with superb performance by host nations South Africa. Along the way illustrious teams such as France imploded, and Italy underperformed as both teams failed to get beyond the group stages. England, a much favored team, were taught a football lesson by Germany, and the pre-tournament favorites Brazil succumbed to a highly organized and talented Netherlands team.

As we moved through the knockout stages we saw heartbreak circumstances for Ghana who thoroughly deserved aemi final spot but were cruely denied by a new hand of God. We saw Germany outplay both England and Argentina, only to come up short against a very talented and superior Spain team in the final. And so here we are, nearly one month later waiting with aniticipation for a new champion to be crowned - one thing we know is that the FIFA 2010 World Cup will be awarded to a nation who has never won the trophy before.

So on July 11th, 2010 - Spain and The Netherlands will compete for the honors of becoming world champions. Spain, the current European champions, and World number one will go in as favorites, but after watching a battling Netherlands side overcome a superb Brazil side, then this could end up being one of the closest and most exciting FIFA World Cup finals of all time.

Spain’s road to the final:

16 June: Spain 0 Switzerland 1

21 June: Spain 2 Honduras 1

25 June: Chile 1 Spain 2

29 June: Spain 1 Portugal 0

03 July: Paraguay 0 Spain 1

07 July: Germany 0 Spain 1

Spain started off the tournament with a surprise loss to Switzerland. Their usual dominance in possession didn’t lead to the inevitable goal and they ended up being caught napping and lost their opening game! This was a wake-up call for Spain, the European champions and one of the favorites for the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

They struggled for the next two games, not quite capturing the magic that they had for the last four years and not finding the kind of form expected of the World Number one team. They improved against Portugal, but could very easily have lost to them as Portugal failed to take their chances in a frantic last twenty minutes.

You began to see the true Spanish team against Paraguay – their slick short passing game ran circles around the Paraguay team who simply could not handle the superior game play of a Spanish team gaining confidence.

Their biggest test was perhaps against the young and talented German team, however this was perhaps their best performance of the FIFA 2010 World Cup as they dominated possession and snuffed out Germany’s potent counter-attack forcing many mistakes out of the young Germans. They had a couple of worries once the German team began to gain more possession, but overall you have to say that there was only going to be one winner, and Spain ended up in their first FIFA World Cup final.

Will they lift the cup? That’s hard to say – they are perhaps the most talented side in the tournament – their passing game is at times sublime, and they create chances by sheer skillful passing – however, The Netherlands perhaps are their most daunting opponents yet – firstly The Netherlands have a passion about the game that was fully evident in their QF and SF victories – they simply don’t like to lose.   

The Netherland’s road to the final:

14 June: The Netherlands 2 Denmark 0

19 June: The Netherlands 1 Japan 0

24 June: Cameroon 1 The Netherlands 2

28 June:  The Netherlands 2 Slovakia 1

02 July: The Netherlands 2 Brazil 1

06 July: Uruguay 2 The Netherlands 3

The Netherlands have always been one of my favorite teams to watch, ever since I used to watch the great Johan Cruyf as a young man! They’ve always played attractive football, but have never managed to get to the next level and actually win the FIFA World Cup.

Before the tournament I wondered if it might be their year -they’ve quietly built up a decent team and managed to stay out of the limelight. As the tournament began, they didn’t particularly shine, but did just enough to win their games –they were more workmanlike than skillful. Slowly though, their confidence built as they kept on winning and after a tough win against a hardy Slovakia side, you began to feel destiny was on their side.

They had the daunting task of facing the brilliant Brazilian side in the quarter finals, and for 50 minutes they were second best and Brazil should have finished them off – but they showed a tenacity and strength that somehow kept them in the game, and they stunned the football world by coming back to win 2-1  - this perhaps was the biggest shock of the FIFA 2010 World Cup so far.

Against Uruguay they began to show their patience and skill, and while they perhaps looked a little weak in defense at times, they showed supreme skill to take the lead against a solid and well organized Uruguay team. Again it wasn’t a perfect performance by The Netherlands, but they showed how well they can take their chances and they will hope that their never say die attitude will serve them well.

They will find it difficult to gain the ball from Spain and their patience in defense and the few moments that present themselves will be important for their success – they have a desire to win, and as I have said on a few other websites, you do wonder if it is their destiny to win the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

This is actually a very tough game to call! Spain will dominate possession and create a lot more chances, but The Netherlands have been very clinical with their chances. The game is so even in my book – Spain perhaps have the edge in talent and certainly will use their passing game to good effect, but The Netherlands have the ability to pass their way out of trouble and slowly build their attack until they score.

Spain are probably the favorites, and it is hard to see how The Netherlands will deal with the precision passing that Spain are famous for, but somehow they overcame a superb Brazilian team , and this tenacity and belief is perhaps the game changer.

As a neutral, I’d love to see The Netherlands win, simply because I watched them come so close several times before. As a follower of football, the Spanish team should win – they are playing a very skillful form of football and are an amazingly talented team!

So who will win? I’m going for a 1-1 score line after 90 minutes, and then a 2-1 final score – with the winners being The Netherlands! While I feel that Spain are the best team of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, I just have a feeling that destiny is on The Netherlands side and they will finally get their hands on the World Cup!