Spain 1 Netherlands 0 (AET):In the end, the very end, football triumphed in Johannesburg's Soccer City, thanks to the latest winning goal in World Cup final history, scored by Andres Iniesta. It was just reward for brains over brawn after Spain spent the best part of two hours dodging brutal Dutch tackles and endeavouring to win in the manner their opponents used to.
It represents the culmination of a brave Spanish project, which has extolled the virtues of technique and artistry and already secured a European championship. Now the world has been conquered and no team or players are more worthy of it.
"It was a very difficult match," said Spain coach Vicente del Bosque. "We have fantastic players. We could have scored another goal or two but I think the result was deserved. It's a very happy day for me. Naturally, I'm proud."
"It's unbelievable, incredible," added goalscorer Iniesta. "It cost a lot of energy. To win a World Cup is an indescribable feeling. This was our work that we started a long time ago, it was hard work, but we're savouring this now."
Iniesta strike with four minutes settled an encounter which saw English referee Howard Webb brandish a record 14 yellow cards, plus a red for Everton’s John Heitinga on a night when Holland shamed the ‘Total Football’ in what was their third final defeat since 1974.
Webb should have brandished more red cards, in truth, having started with a booking for Robin van Persie in the 14th minute. Pretty soon midfield duo Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong joined him for challenges that could easily have ended their evening.
The feeling that if the match had been played on a park pitch rather than being a showpiece occasion watched by an estimated three billion, one, or both, would have been sent off was inescapable.
Van Bommel’s challenge on Joan Capdevila was bad enough. De Jong’s karate kick on Xabi Alonso was awful.
That Wesley Sneijder was not even cautioned for a similarly woeful attempt at stopping Pedro could only be put down to either Webb being unsighted or the Dutch playmaker diverting attention by claiming to be injured himself.
The European Champions felt most aggrieved when Webb did not see a niggly second-half challenge from Van Bommel that sparked a reaction from Barcelona playmaker Iniesta. Vicente del Bosque was particularly annoyed, jabbing his finger at both Webb or Van Bommel.
Holland would have viewed it all differently if Iker Casillas had not made two quite brilliant save to deny Arjen Robben after the former Chelsea star had been set free by Sneijder.
Robben must have thought he had done everything right, on the first occasion, when running at pace until he saw the whites of Casillas’ eyes, shaped to go one way, then placed his shot to the other corner.
Casillas was committed in the other direction but stuck out a leg and turned the effort wide.
It was by some distance the best opportunity of the regulation 90 minutes, although Sergio Ramos had a couple of decent openings himself, both headers, both from crosses from Xavi.
On the first occasion, Maarten Stekelenburg flung himself to his right and made the save at a point early enough in proceedings that a goal could have changed the contest completely.
By the time, unmarked, Ramos headed Xavi’s corner over, Webb had become as much part of the occasion as the players.
It was the only Englishman to survive beyond the last 16 that Robben ran to when he threatened to sprint through again, only to be denied by Casillas. But losing possession did not come before Carles Puyol had made a desperate grab for the Bayern Munich winger, who was convinced the Barcelona defender should have been sent off.
On as a substitute, with a point to prove after mustering the grand total of 93 minutes prior to tonight, Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas twice came close to breaking the deadlock in extra-time, when Xavi also had a penalty claim turned down.
But Spain were not to be denied. Fabregas slotted it through to Iniesta and after one touch to control it, his second was a crisp volley past Stekelenburg.
The loss of Fernando Torres to a hamstring injury in stoppage time may have further consequences for Liverpool but in Madrid and Barcelona that will not matter. In Amsterdam, only a shattered reputation remains now.