Xavi wanting Spain to make the final a fiesta

Published on Wednesday 7 July 2010 15:08

Spain's midfield maestro Xavi is determined to enjoy the World Cup final.

A new champion will be crowned on Sunday after the Euro 2008 winners booked a clash with Holland at Soccer City thanks to Carles Puyol's fierce second-half header against Germany in Durban.

It offers Spain the chance to follow West Germany into the history books as European Champions who added the World Cup to their crown.

Xavi and his team-mates have already been installed as favourites, but the Barcelona star is keen to relieve the pressure and make sure Spain make the most of their first date at world football's most prestigious gathering. "Let's enjoy the final," said Xavi. "We dedicate this victory to Spain. If we play on Sunday like we did last night, we will have a great chance." Xavi claimed Spain dominated their youthful opponents, turning the screw in the second half and netting the crucial winner moments after Toni Kroos had missed Germany's best chance.

"We played as we wanted to," he said. "Now it is a final against Holland, a great team playing great football with great players in midfield and up front.

"We will have to impose our personality and football on them."

For once David Villa was unable to find the net. He remains, however, in pole position to claim the Golden Boot and feels Spain can build on their best performance of the competition. "We have shown that in the big moments we rise to the occasion," said the new Barcelona signing.

"It is the best game we have played. We deserved to score more but a Puyol goal put us in the final and we are exultant."

Spain will be crowned world champions for the first time in their history on Sunday, according to German coach Joachim Low.

He said: "I am confident they will win the title.

"Spain are a wonderful team. They are the masters of the game. You can see it in every pass. They can hardly be beaten. They are extremely calm and convincing. Spain were just better than we were and they deserved to win.

"In 2008, they won the European Championships in a very convincing way (beating Germany in the final) and they have been unchanged over the past two or three years. They play in an automatic way. They have put on top performances in all matches they have played and they can beat everyone.

"Over the past two or three years, they have been the most skilled team of all. They circulate the ball quickly and we were not able to play like previous matches. We were not able to get rid of our inhibitions."

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