SOCCER WORLD CUP 2010

We have again a World Cup final between two European soccer teams. Four years ago it was Italy vs. France, now we’ll watch Spain vs. Netherlands, with both teams seeking their first global title. In 1950 it was the last final game of World Cup not to involve a side from the Old Continent. In that match Uruguay recorded a 2-1 victory over the hosts at Brazil.

The last World Cup final between Italy and France was the most widely watched show in TV history, luring anywhere from 400 to 700 million, but it seems that record will be exceeded tonight. Around of 85,000 people will be present at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, which is 5,752 feet above sea level and for the majority of the audience this is the most important sports event ever to have witnessed. They will watch two teams which deserve to be here even if both won their semifinals at sea level: Netherlands 3-2 Uruguay and Spain 1-0 Germany.

Twelve nations, nine from Europe and three from South America have now been represented in the FIFA World Cup Final and Spain is the latest team to this famous “club”. On the other hand the orange soccer jerseys are in their third World Cup final match. They lost in 1974 with the host team in Germany and in 1978, with Argentina, as the host team again.

However it’s amazing to know that, excepting the first edition, this will be the first final between two teams that have never won the World Cup before, but after this final the trophy will be kept on the same continent for the first time since 1962, when Brazil won their second title in row.

Both teams are on a roll. Netherlands is on a 25-match unbeaten streak while the Spanish have won 30 of their 32 matches under Del Bosque. It’s difficult to make predictions, but the Spanish are the favorites to take the title, according to some professional bookmakers. Having the world’s best midfield, with a fast-moving and quick-passing style, it looks like if they will remain as precise with the ball tonight as they was with the Germany, it will be extremely difficult for the Netherlands defense to resist.

But the Dutch players are going to do anything and everything they can to win the match, according to Van Marwijk. Netherlands can create a goal from any situation, said Oscar Tabarez, the Uruguayan Coach. They won every qualifying game here and it’s hard to believe that they are going to allow Spain to beat them now, exactly in the last day.

The mighty orange soccer jerseys of the 1970s was considered the greatest team never to win the World Cup, but the actual Dutch team will face tonight the best Spanish have ever had in the entire history of the FIFA World Cup.

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