Spanish Reign!

Euro 2008 Final

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Fernando Torres 33′

44 long years of “underachievement” ended! I’ve been waiting about 14 years for Spain to win something big.

You know I couldn’t not write something about Spain’s victory. It’s so “late” because I didn’t get to see the match until around midnight Monday morning! If you guessed that I had to work during the match itself, you would be right. Though, I somehow managed to go the whole day without knowledge of who won. A feat not so hard if you live in Kansas, but a bit difficult when you have an indoor match that night and your friends are soccer fans. Anytime I heard the phrase, “Did you see the Euro final?”, I had to cover my ears. I didn’t want to hear about the game, I wanted to see it. As you know Spain is one of my favorite national teams (see friends list to the right). After our indoor game, I did go over to a friends’ house to watch the match he had recorded.

On to football. This for me was a surprise. Not a surprise that Spain won, I always expected that. It was in the way they won. The first fifteen to twenty minutes were a stalemate. Both were either nervous or didn’t want to make that mistake. But once Spain had a headed ball go off the post, I can’t remember whose head it was, it was on for Spain. The little intricate passing and slick movements that get them out of trouble are why I like teams like Spain and Portugal. I thought Portugal would be slick enough to get by Germany. That sly passing got Fernando Torres on the scoresheet, as he powered his way, I mean powered his way to the ball and flicked it over Lehmann delicately into the side net. Fernando Torres was possessed when going after that ball. I felt a little bad for Lahm, as a defender, I’ve had similar things like that happen to me. At the same time, I’ve victimized defenders that way too.

Look at the determination of Torres as he squeezes between Lahm and Lehmann.

Spain’s play yesterday was pretty amazing, especially their defense, and that’s what surprised me. I thought the defense was the Spanish weak point but they proved me wrong. Their tackling was decisive and at times took no prisoners leaving the German players on the field watching someone in a red shirt run away with their ball. It was fantastic! If Italy’s defense was solid against Spain in the quarterfinals, then Spain’s defense (when they weren’t raising my blood pressure with some mistakes) was just as solid or even more so. Personally, I’ve never seen German players get knocked off the ball as easily and as often as they were. That aspect of the game was surreal for me. It’s usually the other way around, the Germans imposing their will on their opponents. The title of underachievers can now be put to rest, for now. Forty-four years and Luis Aragonés brings Spain a nice piece of silverware. Congratulations to Spain!

I love it!

Place the red and yellow ribbons on it, this now belongs to Spain!

I can see why I’ve been told the Euros could possibly be seen as better than the World Cup itself. Especially with this year’s competition.

- The biggest surprises from this tournament were probably the Russians and Turks. Both one win away from meeting each other in the final. My personal picks had neither of them making it past the group stage. Another surprise were the defending champions Greece…they only scored one goal.

- Disappointments…France. Yes they were in the “group of death” but they lacked a lot without Zidane’s presence. Totally different team from two years ago. Romania was their greatest chance to get three points, but they came out of it sharing the points instead. They fail to put up much of a fight against the Dutch, and had some issues losing Ribery against Italy. Another disappointment was the firing of Italian coach Donadoni after the loss to Spain. Was Donadoni just going to be the coach of their team up to the Euros to see if he could win it? They sure waived bye-bye to him quick! I don’t understand that, among two others (i.e. Avram Grant and especially Mourinho).

- Best game. Take your pick of which match the Turkish were involved in, besides their first one!

- Most entertaining team, I’d have to be a fool not to say Turkey! Sometimes I thought they played better when they allowed a goal, then when they were ahead. It was like they’d been fighting on their backs so much, when they finally were in the dominating position, they didn’t know quite what to do. Fatih Terim and Turkey always had faith in their boys.

- Best Goal…hard to say just one, there were several. Wesley Sneijder’s goal against France and his goal against Italy as well. Nihat’s magic game-winner against the Czechs (my favorite). Michael Ballack’s rocket shot against Austria. Lahm’s game-winner against Turkey in the semis. Fernando Torres’ championship winner against Germany. Guiza’s late game-winning goal against Greece in the group stage.

Creepy resemblance huh? The guy on the left is/was Switzerland’s head coach, Kobi Kuhn. Guy on the right is American actor John Lithgow. This has nothing to do with anything, I just had to put it in here.

Spain’s next agenda as Europe’s best team is the FIFA Confederations cup in South Africa next year, then…it’ll be that time once again when the world’s nations come together in South Africa to try to take away the World Cup trophy from the Italians. Spain and the Netherlands are the world’s two best teams who have never won the World Cup.