Spain reign to end years of pain

We will have to think of a new tag with which to label the Spanish sides at future major tournaments.

For so long they have been ‘perennial underachievers Spain’ but they shed that moniker by rising to the occasion at the Ernst Happel stadium yesterday.

For the next couple of tournaments ‘Euro 2008 champions Spain’ will suffice and it’s a title they richly deserve.

The Spaniards were simply too good for Germans and capped off a wonderful tournament with a classy display of their passing football in the final.

While Spain’s tournament win will be seen as a vindication of the quick little silky midfield player, with Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and David Silva all fitting in that category, it was a classic centre forward who rose to the occasion in the final.

Fernando Torres may not have had a great tournament by his own Everest-high standards, but the Liverpool hitman picked his moment to shine.

They say the best players perform on the biggest stage and last night Torres stepped up to the plate.

Full of menace, he carried more threat on his own than the whole Germany side put together and gave a real cutting edge to the pretty passing stuff being played out behind him.

His goal was a classic striker’s effort, brushing aside Germany’s Philipp Lahm before calming dinking the ball over an onrushing Jens Lehman.

But it was the sheer enthusiasm with which Torres harassed the German back line and the competitive way he fought tooth and nail for his side that raised the spirits of the whole team.

There is a streak of pure anger which fires Torres game’ that belies his cherubic features, this is after all a man who was nicknamed El Nino – the kid – in Spain for his youthful complexion.

He has a ferocious desire coursing through his veins, not dissimilar to that fervour that grips Wayne Rooney every time he steps out on a football pitch.

Unlike the Manchester United forward though, the Spaniard seems to be able to contain the anger, only releasing it in occasional outbursts seemingly directed more at himself than opponents or the referee.

I remember reading an interview with Torres’ Liverpool team mate Steven Gerrard shortly after the striker arrived at Anfield when the Reds’ skipper said he was surprised by how much Torres enjoyed the rough side of the English game.

It may explain why the forward was so quick to adapt to life in the Premiership, he didn’t just cope with the tough stuff dished out by big centre halves week in week out, he enjoyed it.

This is clearly not some pretty boy striker here to make a quick buck, Torres is that rare phenomenon of a star player who plays with the attitude of someone who is less able than his colleagues and has to make up for it through grit and determination.

It is not hard to see why he has become an instant Kop idol, and why he was deified during his time at Atletico Madrid.

As Spain won a victory for football purists last night, Torres was busy claiming a separate triumph for the role of the old-fashioned centre forward.


My team of the tournament for Euro 2008:
(4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas (Spain) – For years the most reliable player at Real Madrid and Spain, the stopper deserved to lift the trophy in the tournament’s final act. Had his moment of personal recognition in the quarter final shoot out against Italy but Casillas is also the epitome of a team player, ever-dependable and a steadying influence on those around him.

Right back: Sergio Ramos (Spain) – Not flawless defensively but more than made up for it with his surging runs forward and bags of energy on the right flank. It’s hard to imagine England ever producing a full back so comfortable on the ball and the Real Madrid defender is also a great athlete, able to add his presence in both penalty boxes at set pieces.

Centre back: Carlos Marchena (Spain) – The less celebrated of Spain’s centre back pairing, the Valencia defender came of age in this tournament and offered a solid foundation for his side to use as a base for their sparkling football. An old school defender who gets stuck in and does the simple things well, Marchena was an underrated contributor to the champions, success.

Centre back: Robert Kovac (Croatia) – This is likely to be the last time we see Robert and brother Niko at a major international tournament and the pair will be sorely missed. Robert is a classy defender who plays with a calm authority that tends to rub off on his team mates. A true leader, he made up for any lack of pace in his ageing legs with great reading of the game.

Left back: Yuri Zhirkov (Russia) – Russia went into the tournament boasting that in right back Alexandr Anyukov they had the Cafu of Eastern Europe. That may have prompted Zhirkov to pull off a passable impression of Cafu’s compatriot Roberto Carlos with his marauding runs from the left and also the ability to smash the leather off a dead ball.

Centre midfield: Marcos Senna (Spain) – It’s no surprise that the two finalists had the two most effective holding midfield players in the tournament. Senna offered a security net for Spain’s more naturally gifted midfielders to roam forward. His work ethic, sensible use of possession and positional sense were key to the Spanish success story.

Centre midfield: Xavi Hernandez (Spain) – The Barcelona player summed up what Spain were all about with intelligent passing and brilliant vision. They say the best sportsman look like they have more time than they are actually given and Xavi never seems rushed on the ball. His success will help banish the memories of a season of underachievement at the Nou Camp.

Right sided attacking midfield: Wesley Sneijder (Holland) – The gifted Dutchman was key to his side’s bright attacking play early in the tournament and he scored two fine goals, one putting the finish touch on a great team move and the other a superb individual effort. Coming off the back of a great season with Real Madrid, his wicked delivery from set pieces is another weapon in his bountiful arsenal.

Central attacking midfield: Andrei Arshavin (Russia) - May have missed the first two games and might as well have not shown up against Spain in the semi, but in the two games in between the tricky Russian was electrifying. The kind of creative genius every major tournament needs, the only mystery is how it took Arshavin till the age of 27 before he proved himself on the world stage.

Left sided attacking midfield: Lukas Podolski (Germany) – The Polish born forward struggled for a starting spot at club side Bayern Munich last term, but he has come to the fore at the last two major tournaments. Deployed on the left flank by Joachim Low, Podolski was a threat and claimed three well-struck goals. Faded as the rest of his side’s form dipped in the closing stages of the competition.

Striker: David Villa (Spain) – Expected to play second fiddle to Torres, the Valencia hitman claimed the Golden Boot despite missing the final and coming off injured before half time in the semi. One of the most complete strikers in world football, Villa is equally comfortable playing deep, out wide or on the shoulder of the last defender. No wonder the big guns are said to be getting out their cheque books.