Monday, June 30, 2008

Spanish champions change history

There'll be a few sangria-sore heads in Spain today but last night Vienna throbbed to a different beat after La Roja's adventurous football produced "the greatest moment in Spain's collective football memory for 44 years".

Spain's 'alegria' was compounded by the fact that, with a record of five wins and a draw, Luis Aragones's team eclipsed the competition-winning runs of Germany in 1996 and France in 1984. From first game to last Spain kept their heads and went quietly about their work as Portuguese flair, Dutch finesse and Turkish defiance came and went.

Interestingly, Spain were the only team to win their first two games and progress to the semi-finals - they remained focused and kept their momentum going throughout.

Spain's drought was over and celebration was thirsty work. "This time the confetti was ours, this time the kisses, the champagne and the flags were all ours," wrote AS.

The country of Don Juan had "seduced Europe" with its football. “Perhaps not since the legendary Brazil won the 1970 World Cup has a team triumphed at a tournament with a style of play so pure, so artistic, so free of misery."

Mundo Deportivo saluted the "killer" Fernando Torres, while there was also extra praise for Xavi and the midfield marshall Marcos Senna.

At 22:36 CET, 17,690,000 Spaniards were crowded in front of their TV screens as their team became kings of Europe - it was the most watched minute of television in Spanish history.

For Santi Nolla of mundo Deportivo, it was also the minute that changed Spanish football forever. "Spain have been world champions in water polo, hockey, handball, basketball, we have a wealth of titles in many sports, but not football," he wrote.

this group of players are winners. And for that reason they have changed history."

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