Torres helps Spain to their ole Grail

Published on Monday 30 June 2008 10:39

SPAIN finally shrugged off their tag of world football's biggest under-achievers, and they did it with some style.

After 44 years of peaking between tournaments instead of at them, Spain held true to their values under huge pressure to round off a string of beguiling attacking displays with a 1-0 win over Germany.

"We played the best for the entire tournament and we beat some great teams," said striker Fernando Torres, who scored the only goal. "We beat Italy, the world champions, and we beat Russia and now Germany."

And Torres' goal was worthy of winning any match, including the one that clinched his country's first title since the 1964 European Championship.

After spending the entire tournament in the shadow of team-mate David Villa, Torres touched a sliding pass from Xavi Hernandez past Philipp Lahm and ran past his marker on the opposite side to collect the ball and lift a shot over sliding goalkeeper Jens Lehmann into the far corner.

Spain were deserved winners of the 13th European Championship. Xavi, Andres Iniesta and David Silva swapped positions constantly against a midfield marshalled by Michael Ballack and eventually wore out their opponents until it seemed Spain were simply counting down time until the final whistle.

Red-shirted fans started to greet each successful pass with cheers of "Ole!" before erupting into relieved delirium on the whistle.

The overjoyed players gathered to throw the 69-year-old coach Luis Aragones into the air in celebration, while the massed ranks of Spanish fans sang themselves hoarse with "Viva Espana" as fireworks went off overhead.

"I hope this is good for football as well as for Spain, because the best team won," Torres said. "This is not always the case. We are doubly happy."

Germany, playing in their seventh European Championship final, had a strong appeal for a first-half penalty turned down but, despite Ballack's imperious performance, could not find a way past the Spain defence.

"We had some good matches, but the Spaniards were constantly good throughout out the tournament and played at a very high level," Germany coach Joachim Low said. "So they deserve to be champions."

Germany dominated the opening exchanges until a lucky break in the 14th minute gave the Spanish their first chance and a boost that clearly lifted their play.

Iniesta sent a cross into the box from the left and Germany defender Christoph Metzelder stuck out a boot to send the ball rocketing toward his own goal. Only a diving reaction save by Lehmann kept it out and prevented an own-goal.

Spain never looked back and, after Torres headed against the foot of the post with Lehmann beaten, Germany were left to rue their luck in what could have been the decisive moment of the match. Full back Joan Capdevila mis-controlled the ball in the 29th minute and it clearly bounced up to hit his hand, but referee Roberto Rosetti waved away the appeals.

Moments later, Torres showed why he is one of the best strikers in the world.

With leading tournament scorer Villa absent because of injury, Torres was the sole outlet in attack but flipped the ball over Lehmann and watched it roll softly into the corner for his second goal of Euro 2008.

"Lahm was in a better position, but for a moment he relaxed and that was to my advantage," Torres said. "It was a little detail. We have grown and can control these little details."

Ballack, who had already received treatment for a head wound and was railing against every decision against Germany, shot past the post and almost set up substitute Kevin Kuranyi with a cross that goalkeeper Iker Casillas just tipped away.

But aside from isolated passages of play, it was all Spain.

Sergio Ramos sent a diving header onto the bar from Xavi's deep cross, Iniesta almost scored with a near post shot that Torsten Frings blocked, and Marcos Senna just missed a cross in front of an open goal in the 82nd.

Spain now have to show the win wasn't a fluke, a task which begins in September with a qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup against visiting Bosnia. But it will have to do it without Aragones because the veteran coach is stepping down.

"The only thing I have to say to the manager who comes after me is to please treat them (the players) well and let them do their job," said Aragones, the oldest coach to win a European Championship title. "I have the mental strength to do it, and others may not." Torres, paying tribute to Aragones, added: "He's the most important thing in our success because he has a lot of confidence in this group and we are very happy for him in his last game in the national team."

Meanwhile, Low insists there have been no discussions with goalkeeper Lehmann about retiring from international football following defeat last night.

Lehmann, 38, who will play for Stuttgart next season after five years at Arsenal, became the oldest player to feature in the final of the tournament – but there have been no talks about throwing in the towel.

"I didn't speak to him about that," Low said. "I said 'congratulations, you played very well, the best in this tournament'.

"He is also a leader in our team and very professional. I told him 'thank you' for what he did."

Ballack, who had recovered from a calf injury to play, ended on the losing side in a final again but Low insisted his skipper deserved a winner's medal for his efforts during the tournament. It adds to Ballack's tag of being a 'nearly man', after being suspended for the World Cup final in 2002 just after Bayer Leverkusen missed a trio of chances for silverware.

This season Manchester United pipped him to the Barclays Premier League and Champions League – and he finds himself the bridesmaid once more.

"I was glad when he and the physios indicated on the afternoon of the game that he could play," Low said. "It was important to have him on the pitch and good to have him there.

"He is very important for our team always and he did a lot of special things in this tournament. He was our leader."

When asked if he deserved a medal, Low replied: "Yes, he does."

Low added: "We are disappointed after the match but I think we can be satisfied with the tournament on the whole.

"The team was performing very well over the 45 days we've spent together."