It was hardly a spectacle to behold and failed to embody what some of us call “the beautiful game”, but it was a finale to the World Cup nonetheless and happily served up talking points. The resounding feeling from football fans worldwide must be a sense of loss, regardless of the final outcome. Before a World Cup final, or any cup final for that matter, it is almost a curse to wish for an exciting match that will provide some attractive football. This game between Holland and Spain definitely had a cursed aspect to it, and was painful to watch at stages.

They may not have flown like Dutchmen, but they did fight like pirates, as the tone for the match was set as early as the 2^nd minute when a rash challenge from Robin van Persie on Pedro saw the Dutch striker given a yellow card. A flurry of yellow cards ensued and by the 23^rd minute, three other players had paved their way into the referee’s notebook for cynical fouls. During the opening stages, Spanish players were drawn into this back and forward sequence of cynical play, collecting two yellow cards for their actions. However, as the game wore on, they comfortably grew out of this and were outplayed in the area of tactical fouls by the Dutch.

It was disappointing to see the Dutch performance degenerate to this level on a collective basis. Before the final, certain players, namely Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong, had been principally charged with stifling opponents’ play through fouling, but on a whole, Holland seemed to happily adopt this responsibility as a team for the final.

Their intentions are commonplace in World football. Specific players on all teams are in charge of marking key opposing player out of the game or fouling opponents while counter attacks still brew a safe distance from their goal, and in Holland’s case they started off with understandable intentions. From the start, the Netherlands’ holding midfielders Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong pursued Xavi and Iniesta higher up the pitch so as to prevent any flow or momentum building in Spanish attacks. Their execution, however, was mostly distasteful, with execution being the appropriate word.

Van Bommel’s actions quickly got him a yellow card after a late challenge on the aforementioned Xavi. His midfield counterpart, de Jong, soon after got himself a yellow card to his name for a ridiculous, bordering on intentional, kick to the chest of Xabi Alonso. One would have hoped that being reprimanded for their individual offenses would have seen these two players back away from the borderline of the law, but the excessive tackles continued and ruined the spectacle.

Trying to focus on more positive aspects of the game, the Spanish continued their habitual dominance of the game from the off and were deserved winners in the end. The first tactical victory went to their way as great off the ball movement from right-winger Pedro to a more central position dragged Netherlands left-back Giovanni van Bronckhorst infield and created space for attacking Spanish right-back Sergio Ramos. This move nearly led to the opening goal for Spain as Ramos was able to attack Dirk Kuyt and unleash a vicious cross across the face of goal that was luckily deflected away by Dutch defender John Heitinga.

The right wing offered a lot of joy for Spain as on the hour mark the introduction of touchline winger Jesús Navas gave Spain more width to their play, this time dragging van Bronckhorst right out to the touchline. Eventually the pace of Navas forced Holland coach Bert van Marwijk into changing his reliant captain for Edson Braafheid to deal with the this speed.

Another key battle on the field was fought out between Arjen Robben and Iker Casillas. Robben was talked of as a possible match winner for the Netherlands, and admittedly he could have been. On two seperate occasions, the flying Dutchman found himself one on one with Spanish goalkeeper Casillas. His first chance after latching onto Wesley Sneijder’s through ball was the clear cut opportunity, while the second nearly five minutes later which saw Robben fend off Puyol excellently was another great chance for Holland to take the lead.

Credit must be given to Casillas for the authority he showed over the two seperate situations. In the first incident, Casillas delayed his dive and forced Robben to take the initiative to shoot at goal, while for the second opportunity he prevented Robben from dribbling around him in what is usually second nature to the winger. The second chance for Robben also portrayed Casillas for the great keeper that he is as he anticipated the movement of Robben to calmly smother the ball.

After being so tactically astute in the first half with his application of Pedro, and then managing to change that system so effectively in the second half to wreak even more havoc, Vicente del Bosque made yet another inspired substitution in the 87^th minute. His decision to bring on Fabregas for Alonso can be hailed as a match winning substitution that tipped the favour of the game towards the Spanish in extra time.

With Fabregas now on the pitch, Holland had an entirely new type of dynamic player to deal with. His late runs into the box and willingness to take the ball on around the penalty area offered something different to Alonso who stands off play. Having Fabregas higher up the pitch, he was able to pick up a stray clearance from van der Vaart to set up Iniesta for the winning goal.

It would be hard to end without lamenting Spain for being wasteful with their chances for the seventh game in a row. However, they are World champions now, and although they may leave a bit too much to chance, every champions goes through their fair share of luck.

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FIFA dodged a massive security threat Sunday night after the World Cup Final when a man ran across the pitch and attempted to put a hat on the World Cup trophy.

The pitch intruder was detained by security officers and whisked away. However, this raises questions about stadium security. Luckily the intruder seemed only intent on drawing attention to himself and the company he was promoting. But it could have easily been a dangerous incident if the intruder was intent on injuring someone.

More pictures after the jump:

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It was a long and tense World Cup Final. Spain kept on creating chances up front and rifling shots after shots at the Netherlands, but the Dutch kept the Spaniards out of the game until late in extra time. It only seemed like a matter of time before Spain would score, and score they did with a well-taken goal by Andres Iniesta.

Here are photographs of Spain celebrating the 2010 World Cup win. Congratulations Espana and commiserations to Netherlands on a game well played. More pictures after the jump:

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Soccer City on Sunday evening will see the showdown of two of the most in form teams in World Football over the past two years. The Netherlands boast the superior form record that stretches back to September 2008 and sees them unbeaten in 25 matches. The Spanish are not far behind, and all but for two losses against the United States at last years Confederations Cup and against Switzerland at this years World Cup respectively, they would be unbeaten like their Dutch counterparts.

Still Spain’s record cannot be lamented. Suffering two losses over a 31 games measures up to Holland’s record and makes it even harder to decide between these two sides on the form guide alone.

In the lead up to the final, and even the third place playoff between Uruguay and Germany, it was refreshing how the Golden Boot race has been kept alive so deep into the competition. Nearly a forgone conclusion in the 2006 World Cup after the quarter-final stage, this years tournament has four players vying for the title. Albeit Thomas Müller and Diego Forlán were only able to level with the forerunners David Villa and Wesley Sneijder after their goals in the third place playoff, but the general race for top goalscorer in South Africa has been a welcome addition to the overall plot of the World Cup.

Referring back to Villa and Sneijder, this duel between these two key players for their respective countries only highlights the significance of them both to their teams. Goals win matches, and the fact that they are in a showdown for not only the Golden Boot, Golden Ball and World Cup itself also speaks volumes for their individual abilities.

In the lead up to the final, Sneijder has come in for some criticism in relation to his performances and whether his goal scoring tally is merely casting a shadow over his true form. He has admittedly assisted few goals throughout the tournament, but positioning is a key asset for any footballer and his habit for being in the right place at the right time has rewarded him with goals.

There is, however, no question over the contributions of David Villa. In a misfiring Spanish frontline, he has been the standout performer and made passage to this stage of the competition that bit easier for Spain with his five goals.

Other key performers that have been an ever-present for their teams throughout the tournament will also be expected to carry on into the final. At right back for Spain, Sergio Ramos has been one of their most consistent players. He and Dutch left back Giovanni van Bronckhorst will be in a constant battle throughout regardless which team is attacking or defending.

Although he may not be everyone’s favourite player at the moment after being shown up for his particular style of play, but he and his holding midfield counterpart Nigel de Jong will be the chief instigators required to stifle the Spanish midfield out of the game, thus cutting their passing flow.

Meanwhile all this focus has been on players coming into this final with form on their side, focus has been principally taken away from those who are struggling. Two Premier League stars such as Robin van Persie and Fernando Torres could yet find their feet in this World Cup and surprise viewers by being the decisive factor between these two sides.

Repeating key players for each country could be endless when referencing these two teams. The main battle will be fought in the opening few minutes of play. This stage of the game will see the Spanish attempt to dictate the pace of the game and put in place their own game plan. If they manage to gain the initiative during this early part of the game, it will be the true mark of Holland as world champions to reverse the influence over the game in their favour.

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Ben Shires and the Wrapped Up team are back to wrap up the round in which four teams became two - the 2010 FIFA World Cup semi finals. There's a trippy recreation of the Van Bronckhorst goal with commentary from a couple of Dutch stoners, PLUS we see why nobody would refuse an offer from Fabio Capello, and more.

Enjoy!

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If you live in South Florida and you're looking for somewhere to watch the World Cup Final, Wowies Sports Grill in Boca Raton is the place to be. The modern sports bar will be televising the final between Spain and Netherlands live on Sunday at 2:30pm. Plus, Wowies will also be showing the Third Place Playoff Final between Uruguay and Germany on Saturday at 2:30pm.

Here are 7 reasons why South Florida residents should watch the final two World Cup games at Wowies:

1. During both games, we'll be running free raffle drawings where you have a chance to win, courtesy of Nike, official replica jerseys from Brazil (home), Portugal (home), Slovenia (home), Croatia (away) or Slovenia (away); Plus, we have a US men's national team training top and sweatshirt to give away,
2. We're giving away in the raffle drawing, again courtesy of Nike, the following soccer cleats/boots: Nike Mercurial Vapor Superfly 2, Nike Zoom and Nike Tiempo Legend Elite,
3. Thanks to EA Sports, we have five copies of the 2010 FIFA World Cup video game to give away (two for Sony PS3 and three for Xbox 360). 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa video game is in stores now and it enables you to take your favorite nation to World Cup glory. It is available on Wii, PS3, x360 and PSP,
4. Wowies features a 123" projection TV and 31 big screen TVs so no matter where you sit, you can watch the World Cup Final in style; Wowies also has three big screen TVs in the outside covered patio if you want to watch the game and get some fresh air at the same time,
5. Wowies is the official World Cup Viewing Party headquarters for World Cup Buzz. I'll be there for both games, so stop on by and say hello. I'll also be taking pictures and video as well as interviewing some of the soccer fans there about the World Cup, so it's your chance to be featured on World Cup Buzz,
6. Download the flyer from our sister site at www.worldcupbuzz.com/wowies and bring it in for a free Sierra Nevada or Red Stripe Lite during any of the World Cup games. Plus, Wowies features Happy Hour from 12-7pm everyday and has three full-liquor bars,
7. Last but not least, Wowies features the beautiful Wowies Girls who will be wearing the colors of Spain and Netherlands (red and orange) to celebrate the final and to serve you drinks and food throughout the games.

Based on how popular the World Cup games have been at Wowies this summer, I'd highly recommend that you get to the sports bar as early as possible to get a good seat. Come early for lunch and spend the afternoon there. Wowies is a family friendly establishment, and there is no cover to get in to watch the games.

Nothing beats watching the World Cup at a soccer-friendly bar with friends and strangers. If you live in South Florida, I look forward to seeing you at Wowies this weekend.

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A new name will be added to the long list of deserved World Cup winners on Sunday evening, as Spain took to their first semi final on the biggest stage of international football like the Germans typically do to international tournaments. Their patient and controlled performance over their opponents left them merited occupants of a berth in the final and proclaimed favourites.

Spain’s performance has given the team more than a World Cup final place to rejoice in. It has also allowed the team, and their nation, a chance to breath a fresh sigh of relief that they have finally reached an acceptable level of fruition. Until now, Spain have stuttered through the competition and been fortunate at times to progress through their respective knockout round ties.

A beneficial offside decision and an advantageous penalty miss have aided Spain’s passage through to the semi-final, however, after a completely dominant display over Germany, a sense of momentum must be with the Spanish as we approach the final. Their authority over most aspects of the game was evident to see from the start. In the opening ten minutes, Spain had no need to grow into the game as from the whistle they had already taken the game by the scruff of the neck.

A persistence and composed ability to stick to their game plan was the paramount reasoning behind Spain’s dominance and eventual victory. At no stage did they diverge from their strategy, a credit to the development of their mental strength since the start of the tournament where panic engulfed Spain when they failed to take the lead against Switzerland.

Their build up play, though slow, came from specifically two different sources. Administrator of the game plan, Xavi, was the main outlet for any build up play as he linked defence and attack. Similarly, the ability of Gerard Piqué to surge out of defense and supply Xavi and Iniesta with the ball higher up the pitch allowed Spain to press the Germans even higher up the pitch.

Another key manner of the Spanish victory can be put down to the team changes made by coach Vincente Del Bosque. The introduction of Pedro for the misfiring Fernando Torres greatly enhanced the structure of the Spanish team. His presence, which allowed David Villa a more centralized role, gave more life to the Spanish frontline. His energy and technique caused huge problems for the Germans on the right wing, eventually forcing German coach Joachim Löw into substituting the outplayed left-back Jérôme Boateng.

Relating back to their dominance of the game, it should be really stressed as the definitive precursor to their win. Being in complete control of the game allowed Spain to essentially dictate the positioning of Germany’s deadly counter attacking force. With Spain having the upper hand early on, they were able to release their full backs into forward positions. The movements of Sergio Ramos and Joan Capdevila forced Lukas Podolski and Piotr Trochowski to track back and cover their ventures forward. Having Trochowski and Podolski sitting so deep in their own half, Germany instantly lost its speed and ability to quickly attack the wing areas. The extent of how deep into his own half Podolski had been forced was visible on the hour mark when he almost gave away a penalty for a foolish challenge on Ramos.

A disappointing element of the semi-final must be the sudden grind to a halt of this ‘New Germany’. They have been a delight to watch for most of the World Cup and given many flashes of joy. It would be harsh to criticize the principally attacking players such as Mesut Özil, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski for their performances, as were for the most part starved of possession needed to attack. The important midfield destroyers Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira, however, were overwhelmed in midfield by Spain’s passing and allowed their opponents to ease past them on numerous occasions.

Schweinsteiger will learn a lot from this game and it will greatly aid his development as a holding midfielder, though he was prominently a sufferer of Spain’s game plan and structure. After being a total menace to his opponents in the previous two knockout games, he remained quite deep in this affair, giving Germany another less attacking outlet. His surging runs that penetrated the space between the opposition’s defence and forward lines were ineffective against this Spanish side because there was no space to exploit.

Argentina offered space in between Mascherano and forwards, while England were an organizational mess that he could maneuver through. However, Spain cover most parts of the middle third of the pitch. Xavi and Iniesta boss the area behind Villa, Xabi Alonso sits behind them, and Busquets is protection in front of the centre backs. Due to this claustrophobic midfield, Schweinsteiger and Germany were yet again stifled and outdone by Spain.

On a whole, it was disappointing Germany were outdone by an avoidable poor piece of defending from a set piece. Looking towards the final, however, Spain will no doubt be arriving as favourites. They finally achieved a certain potential and looked near to achieving total perfection in instigating their dominant game plan. It seems to be all falling into place for Spain.

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It was just two years ago when Germany played Spain in the final of the 2008 European Championship. In that game, Fernando Torres was the difference between both sides. Today, it's another game completely where Germany must be seen as the clear favorites to advance to the final. But never underestimate the Spaniards.

Braking news: Pedro will start instead of Torres for Spain.

In many ways, today's game for Spain is a pivotal moment in their history. Does the team deserve to be considered one of the best in the world or are they going to crumble once again as they have done so many times in previous World Cup tournaments?

Before, during and after the game, feel free to post your comments in the section below. Let's hope that this is a wonderful game of football to watch. I certainly hope so.

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Out of all of the quarter-finals this weekend, Spain against Paraguay is probably the one that soccer aficionados are considering the easiest match-up of the bunch. The vast majority of people consider that Spain will cruise to victory in this game. But Paraguay is definitely not a team to underestimate.

Before, during and after this World Cup game today, please share your observations and rants in the comment section below whether you're a supporter of Spain, Paraguay or a neutral.

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David Villa's goal for Spain against Portugal Tuesday was top class. Everything from Iniesta's pass to Xavi's back heel to David Villa's killer strike that rebounded off the goalkeeper and back to him, and then into the top of the net.

But it should have been disallowed for offside.

Watch the above video to see the incident and to see how both the referee and assistant referee's line of sight were blocked.

HT to 101 Great Goals.

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