Andres Iniesta scored the only goal of the game with five minutes of extra-time remaining, as Spain beat the Netherlands 1-0 to win their first ever World Cup.
The Barcelona playmaker slammed home from the inside channel after being released by Cesc Fabregas, to complete a European and World double for the Spaniards at Soccer City in Johannesburg.
The first-half was woeful, with five bookings in the first half-hour and only one early chance for the Spanish.
However, Holland goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg made a good double save, when first he dived to his right to keep out Sergio Ramos' header from Xavi's free-kick, before getting up quickly to deny Gerard Pique a chance at a rebound.
Nelson Mandela was making his first public appearance of the tournament for the game, but the former South African President would have had more exciting nights on Robben Island than this debacle of a first 45 minutes.
Holland bullied the midfield, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Nigel de Jong, for a two-footed assault on Xavi Alonso, and, inevitably, Mark van Bommel finding their way into Howard Webb's book.
It was unpretty, but remarkably effective, with Vicente del Bosque's team unable to replicate the picture-postcard passing of the semi-final against Germany.
And in fact, the Netherlands had the two best chances of the game in a much-improved second-half, both of which fell to Arjen Robben.
The first on the hour was created by a lovely Wesley Sneijder pass through the inside of centre-back Pique, but Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas did remarkably well to save with his trailing foot.
The second on 83 minutes was again saved by Casillas, but Robben may have been overhonest in staying on his feet when Puyol attempted a desperate tackle.
In between the two Robben chances, Sergio Ramos should have done much better from a 77th minute free header from a corner, whilst David Villa was denied at the far post from a Johnny Heitinga lunge and a Stekelenburg save, after the Everton defender's poor control had gifted the Spaniards the initial opportunity.
The Ajax goalkeeper then did well to deny Fabregas in a one-on-one five minutes into extra-time, after the Spain substitute had been released down the centre by an Iniesta pass.
Remarkably, both sides went for it in the extra thirty minutes, the expected tension perhaps alleviated by the muscle memory of both nations' poor records in penalty shoot-outs, should it end level after 120 minutes.
Joris Mathijsen headed over for the Dutch, then van Bronckhorst did brilliantly to tackle Iniesta in the area, though Jesus Navas was perhaps better placed for the pass.
Given that a record nine players had been booked in the ninety minutes, three more than the six cards shown by Brazilian referee Romuald Arppi Filho in the 1986 final, it was perhaps inevitable that one would see red, and Heitinga was dismissed in the 20th minute of extra-time for pulling back Iniesta.
It looked like it would be the dreaded spot-kicks, but Iniesta saved the day with his crunching strike on 116 minutes.