Finally, after 44 years the Spanish side can make happy the world football, winning with personality and good game the EURO 2008. Nostalgia would invade us with such a fine tournament that gave us one of the greatest comeback ever, tremendous goals and good gamestyle. Some teams became lapidated by age while some youngsters rose to become true figures. Renovation is the key to a good starting XI while good football prevailed the horrid and disgusting defensive style. Finally Spain chased their ghosts and without Raúl the demythification of the players finally capitalized. It would be a long wait for the next EURO, which eventuallly will not be played in Ukraine-Poland, but we will have the WC in two years (other event that will not take place in the African country, according to my predictions).
The game thrilled all the world, with the worst version of the German football reaching a Final with a deteriorated team. On the other side the Iberic team reached the final with the best of styles, and my favorite: Good technical pass football with accuracy and definition. And this was the struggle, if the good football will prevail over the diminished strenght of the Germans. One point I want to enhalt is Torsten Frings. From the last match his willingnes and combativeness remained untouched and he is worth the praise. While some of his partners (i.e. Ballack) are reluctant to actively left everything on the pitch he does it with a strenght unbelievably considerable. He is the truly heir of the German school: "the team mate is over me". He played injured like "Der Kaiser". And that is enough to me to see his willingness to win.
In the starting XI of the Spanish side the first impression was the amount of people in the midfield, and of course the naming of Skipper Cesc. This 5-men midfield was the speciality of the house, used throughout the tournament and the so famous troubled Spanish midfield became the controlling machine that earned the winner spot. The first interesting movements in the match took place within the left side of the pitch. Although it seemed that Spanish ball control (70%) was exceeding the Germans, it was through Phillip Lahm that the German side attempted most of the times in the first 15 minutes. Sergio Ramos known pull gave the Bayern player a good option from that side even ending in a wide Hitzlsperger shot at 9'. The difference between a Right Back (in spanish DEI) and Right lateral (LAD) concern also with Dissapearing in the Pitch. The German side remained confident, touching the ball with several walls and overlapings until the Spanish Midfield began to take control of the match at 14'. At 15' a chance produced in a deflection by Metzelder which Lehmann saved miracously. But near the 25' Torres, the perfect '9' became present with two headers, one in the woodwork. And it was through "El Niño" that the lead came. At 33' Torres gained the back of Lahm by a Cesc pass which defined tremendously. The goal was certainly a masterpiece. After the stunning goal from the "visiting side" came the German team demoralization opened clearly.
It all began with the unfit captain Michael Ballack. He always injures in the key moments, and does not want to carry the weight of the team in his shoulders. Certainly, unlike Frings, he is unfit to be captain such as William Gallas. In the final part of the first half the German side began to pull rather with obligation than with will. A melee attempted by Ballack resulted in the booking of Casillas.
The second half was the capitalization of several decades of wait for the Spanish people. First Loew went crazy substituting Phillip Lahm, by far the best German defender, with an undecisive Jansen. At the time of the reactions the Spanish side began pressuring in the wide open spaces at 56'. Ballack took a wide shot after a Jansen cross in 60'. The German pull was more strenght than talent. The offside trap on Torres was one of the few things that Germany could save from this match. When the match seemed to level Xabi Alonso came of the bench for Cesc to add equillibrium in the midfield. Things warmed up after a 'Materazzi' attempt of headbutt by Silva on a good match Poldi. Thus Cazorla replaced Silva at 65'. Reaching the 69' pain was closer on opening the lead than the leveler of Germany. Ballack dissapeared completely and Germany reluctantly forwarded. Xavi was elected the tournament's best player but I do not agree. He does not know the value of the through-pass, so much valued in the English football. The final minutes saw the German side succumb against the perfect football, the last gasp was on Gomez sub. Another melee was staged by Marchena and Ballack, in the agonizing stages of the match. And with the touching of the ball by Spain at 92' the match ended with the new European Champions Spain.
And thus was the end of the EURO 2008 that left us with the truth vindication of the Arsenal FC football style.
Finally I have to say that my predictions were 50/50. I did not listen to the advices of my brother regarding the Russian power. Usually, you dear reader, know that I do not tend to 'show off', but my football predictions are famous among my family and friends, thus earning a couple bucks in the usual bets and so. Even though my predictions were that either Portugal or Germany will show in the Final match, while the Dutch and Spanish sides will show a far decourous style in the persecution of the title. France will be a disaster as Italy, the Czechs and Greeks. I thought Croatia and Turkey will end up in a very bad situation against the potent headliners. Russia was more of an invitation instead of the England team. And now that I am reflectioning about England, staying out of the past tournament will be even more helpful in order to recheck the current situation of English football. I also thought that Switzerland will show even more. But who knows?
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