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Spain Camp Focus - Pure, unadulterated joy
There are times in football, or indeed in any sport, or walk of life, when words simply don’t do justice to the action. So as it falls upon this writer to try and cobble together a few sentences that will explain the feelings, the emotions and the elation of Spain’s World Cup winning footballers this morning, nothing that can be written will come close to the image of the tears running down the cheeks of Spanish captain Iker Casillas last night.
They were tears that came out of pure, unadulterated joy. If any old picture can tell a thousand words, then that one could shout a million. A million words for the millions of football fans in Spain who have dreamed of this day, this moment that they would finally be crowned as kings of the football world. Spain are the world champions. They are just five words, but they are five words that many thought they’d never say. This magical breed of footballers, this golden generation have delivered. Two years ago in Vienna it was Europe, but now it is the world.
How have they done it? With a togetherness and an unshakeable belief in the way they play. As we discussed before the final, the Spanish renaissance began with a second round defeat to France at the 2006 World Cup, and this was its natural conclusion. Four years of playing the best football on the planet have delivered their just reward. Andrés Iniesta’s extra time winner was the culmination of four years of graft, four years of endless hard work and determination, four years of entertaining the world. There were wobbles on the way to glory in South Africa – no World Cup winning team had ever lost their opening match at a finals – but in a way that only brought the team closer together. They were the heavy favourites going into the tournament and it appeared as though that tag was weighing down upon them, but the loss to Switzerland calmed them down, it humbled them into realising that they would have to work hard for this crown, and work hard they did.
It wasn’t a classic final. Howard Webb made a rod for his own back with his early officious, fussy refereeing, and cards became more common than the sound of a vuvuzela. It was a shame that the Dutch chose to approach the match in the way they did, and how Nigel de Jong avoided being sent off for his karate kick to Xabi Alonso’s ribs only Webb knows. Had the Manchester City midfielder received his marching orders then obviously this would have been a very different final, and while nobody would advocate early red cards – least of all in world football’s showpiece event – there has to be a line, and the Dutch can feel very lucky to have only been reduced to 10 men when John Heitinga departed the scene in the 110th minute. Six minutes later, Spain won the World Cup.
“I can't quite believe this yet,” said Iniesta last night. “I had the opportunity to score that goal that was so important for my team, and it's incredible. I've made a small contribution in a very tough game, a very rough game - there were all sorts of things happening on the pitch. Spain deserved to win this World Cup. It's something we have to remember and enjoy, and should feel very proud of everyone in this squad. The manner in which it happened, we gave everything. To win the World Cup - there are no words to describe it.”
Well, if Spain’s newest hero can’t find the words then we’ve done well to get this far, but it is safe to assume that there will eventually be chronicles written about last night in Johannesburg. As a nation, Spain have finally reached the peak of their footballing powers, but this could only be the start. Of the starting lineup last night, only Carles Puyol, Joan Capdevila and Xavi are in their 30s – this could go on and on for some time yet.
The celebrations certainly will, and as all of Spain wake up to the knowledge that they are world champions today, several dreams have finally been realised. The Spanish were the best football team at the 2010 World Cup, and while credit must go to the Netherlands for their performances – eight wins in qualifying were followed by six wins in the tournament ahead of last night – there can be no doubt that the best team in the world has earned their crown. There will be images produced that can describe the Spanish emotions far better than these words have, but it is safe to say that last night will be remembered for a lifetime. The pictures tell the story.
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