It's an assumption though ain't it?? Didn't work that way for Barca didn't it as Busquets playacting got Motta sent off yet Inter still managed to go thru. These what-if's, it's never a foregone conclusion. One could even go and say then had the ref caught Ramos' last man foul on Ozil, gave the peno and sent him off in the semis Spain wouldn't have even been in the final?? Who's to know though.

On the partiality matter, I think I've explained it in one of the threads. I'm impartial towards neither. It's just a case of the lesser of 2 evils for me. Robben and Van Bommel vs Busquets, Capdevila and Torres. So Holland edges it for me, just a little more likeable. Given the choice I would have preferred if both teams lost and the Cup be given to New Zealand.

Yes, Spain lost at this World Cup, something that inevitably takes a tiny bit of the gloss off the success, but only one side didn't (New Zealand had three draws). And, yes, it struggled to get the goal in the final. But so did Germany in 1990, while Brazil in 1994 and Italy in 2006 didn't get it at all.

Besides, since when was a World Cup easy to win? In comparison to previous winners, Spain is an impressive victor. Until the final, Spain had not needed extra time and never been behind. In 2006, Italy needed penalties in the final and extra time in the semifinal, while in 1998, France needed extra time against Paraguay and penalties against Italy. In 2002, Brazil needed neither. And no one doubted that it was a worthy world champion. No one should doubt that Spain is either.

Both teams were poor in the finals. That was my point. I have no question at all that Holland were dirty and De Jong should have been sent off without question. Then again so did Puyol. The final was littered with cynical fouling by the Dutch and flopping around by the Spanish. Both teams were a disgrace. And I thought it was funny as hell that Spain managed to get the Fairplay award. They should have gotten more yellow cards than they actually did, Puyol should have been off and Ramos as well for his last man foul on Ozil. So I can see where most people are coming when they say that refs looks like they are afraid to book Spanish players. The flopping around in the final itself should have probably gotten them a fair few bookings.

The fact remains that Spain were poor winners, the 8 goals in 7 matches clearly shows that yet still managed to win the title. Shows the standard of this particular WC.

With all due respect, Sid Lowe has been up the Spanish teams bung hole for quite a while now. It's like watching Alan Hansen write for Liverpool. No impartiality whatsoever.

The playacting from Capdevila which got the Portugal sent off didn't bother me that much. Nor did the dive from Torres which got the Chilean player sent off. but it's started to become a bit of a pattern didn't it? What bothered me was the amount of diving, in a WORLD CUP FINAL, the pinnacle game of the tournament or football even. And for the WC to be won in a game of that manner, that's what bothered me the most just as much as it would bother me if United won the Champions League if Rooney dived to win a peno in the 90th minute and got an opponent sent off. While it's always nice to win, it's just not right. That's the point I'm trying to put across and what I feel abut this Spanish win.

now the world cup is over there is the question of what the effect will be on the winning country, will the new found pride and joy help to unite spain? it is surely a change when in barcelona a large crowd is waving the spanish flag instead of burning it.

Even if this is 5 days old. I gotta say, Johan Cruyff is being arrogant and disgraceful. I mean he said the dutch football, he's assuming to HIS football which i think is saying that he created dutch football as a whole and being big by naming it on an entire country. Thats definitely more arrogant than Mourinho. 

Let me add another thing, on what basis does he thinks that dutch football needs to stick to his football for eternity ? I mean as hell Italy could play free-flowing, passing football if they want to.

De Jong's boot was high. I admit. But there's like a number of other players playing studs high like that. Its just that Alonso was going towards the challenge that made it much much more worse. And to be honest, if you've been following Alonso for a whole long time, you wouldnt guess that the player that gets into fouls the most, and resulting in the opposition getting red cards is Alonso.

Sorry but i cant resist just lamenting this spanish-wannabe guy that "created" Dutch football.

So its OK for the Spaniards to change their way of playing; free-flowing football to primadonna football, jumping and diving the moment there's chance or use the press to lure other contract-bind players and furthermore talking thrash before the game saying that we will beat this team, and that and whatever since they're so called the GREATEST ?
Thing is, it happens and its part of football. ALL of it.
Sadly, there isnt any Dutch-wannabe from Spain who would criticise for this.

Its ok for the Dutch to change their way of playing PERIOD.

Sorry I thought this Spain team had class. A class that is respected by the whole world. But after all the crap this year, not just in the world cup, I dont see it, or any part of it.

Give me a forum when people dont talk thrash about the Dutch. Heck, there was even one dutch that even had a thread created just about his dives here. So dont assume as a fact that people are closing their eyes. They're certainly not, more so are people closing their eyes and pretending that Spain are saints and majestic creatures sent from the heavens to play "real" football. The way im looking at it, you yourself are blasting the dutch while closing two eyes on Spain's NT.