And so we arrive at the final chapter of the World Cup 2010. All roads have led to this point and just two teams now remain from the thirty-two who landed in South Africa. All the early talk in the tournament was of the South American brilliance but we arrive at the final for the second tournament in a row with two European finalists. Sunday will be the 7th all-European World Cup final and will see a European nation pick up the trophy for a record 10th time.
So, what of the two remaining sides? The Spanish and the Dutch have contrasting styles and endured very different paths to the final.
The Spanish, current European champions, came into the tournament heavily fancied but huffed and puffed through the early stage of the tournament. The invention and prolificacy had apparently deserted them but with each game they have improved, culminating in a slick performance against the Germans in the semi-final. Should Spain beat Holland, they would need at least four goals to avoid becoming the lowest-scoring WC winners of all time.
The Netherlands, in contrast, have won every game to date but haven’t played the free-flowing football so synonymous with their past teams. There is however genuine attacking brilliance in this side and much will rest on the shoulders of their three jewels.
Van Persie hasn’t performed brilliantly to date but remains the focal point to the Dutch attack and hugely important to the way they play. Sneijder and Robben are the men who really have propelled Holland to this point; both players have been outstanding, although have very different roles in the team.
A key battle will be Robben versus Capdevilla and the 32 year old Villareal defender will have to be at his best to keep Robben under control. The Munich star will attack the aging defender and he will cut inside and look to shoot on sight.
Robben is a potent weapon but it is Sneijder who makes this team tick. He is a genuine contender for the golden ball as well as the golden boot and has enjoyed a dazzling tournament. Sneijder is to Holland what Xavi is to Spain. These two players are the brains of the sides and whichever of them sees more of the ball in space, that team will have one hand on the cup.
Xavi has touched the ball every 46 seconds on average at the World Cup so far; more frequently than any other player. Everything Spain do will go through him at some point. There can be no question De Jong and Van Bommel will kick this Spanish midfield and afford them as little space as possible. The Dutch will have a bit more bite to their midfield than the Germans so the Spanish may find it a little tougher to hold onto the ball for such long periods.
Having said this, Spain should have too much guile and craft in the middle of the park to let Van Bommel and De Jong completely disrupt their game.
Looking the two complete teams, Spain look the stronger side. Although relatively solid to date, the Dutch defence is definitely penetrable and you would fancy Spain to score at least once.
David Villa has been the striker of the tournament and one chance is all he needs. It will be interesting to see what team Del Bosque eventually opts for. One from Pedro, Fabregas and Torres will more than likely be chosen but it looks likely it will be Pedro or Torres at this stage considering Fabregas hasn’t started a game yet. Pedro will be remembered for his selfishness in the semi-final but the fact remains that this was Spain’s best team performance to date.
Whichever way Del Bosque goes, he will have a much superior bench to unleash than the Dutch and this could prove crucial. Having the capacity to bring on someone with the ability of Fabregas or Torres after 60/70 minutes is a massive advantage.
With the talent at their disposal, Spain should have too much for this Dutch side. This is a patient, experienced and slick passing team. The Dutch will play a compact and structured game, attempting to nullify the Spanish threat in the same vein as many teams have attempted to do in this tournament. When the time is right, Holland will then look to unleash their potent attacking forces.
Spain’s sleek passing game will eventually create holes in this Dutch defence and help guide them to making history. This will be an absorbing clash with so many of the game’s top players on display but ultimately I think the Spanish will prevail. One final game remains in an extraordinary championship. It has been a tournament of many surprises, is there another one in store?