We are the Champions

The only rain falling in Spain at the moment is golden tears of joy as the fiesta will probably continue throughout the rest of 2010 after La Furia Roja won Espania's first ever World Cup Sunday.

I really don't think it was that much of a shocker that Spain was the 2010 World Cup, and if you read my preview for the tournament just days before it began you would have seen that I gave you the correct winner, both correct final teams, and three of four correct semifinalist — yes I won my ESNP bracket challenge too with 99.6 percent of the points at stake.

Anyway getting back to Spain, back in the 2002 World Cup, Portugal were in the midst of their so called "golden generation" with Luis Figo and Rui Costa leading the charge because earlier in their youth careers they had led the U-21 or U17 Portuguese team to a world title and because Portugal hand never won a World Cup Figo, Costa, and company were supposed to deliver the Jules Rimet Trophy in 2002. However, that team never lived up to expectations as the U.S. actually knocked them off in the group stage round. 

I bring that point up because I don't recall ever hearing anyone talk about this generation of Spanish players as the country's golden generation. For the better part of four years since the start of qualification for the 2008 Euro championship, Spain has been the best team in the world with an absolutely loaded roster - Xavi, Iniesta, Fernando Torres, David Villa, Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets, Carlos Puyol, Gerard Pique, Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos and other players like Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, Fernando Llorente and Pepe Reina waiting at a moment's notice off the bench. 

They cemented that status as the FIFA No. 1 ranked team with a commanding performance at Euro 08 easily winning the tournament title then going on a 35 match unbeaten run that ended to the U.S. at the Confederations Cup last summer in the semifinals. Spain and Brazil were practically deadlocked as the favorites heading into South Africa, and really except for one minor slip up against Switzerland in the first match of the tournament were the best team from start to finish. Even in defeat, Spain completely controlled the match with the Swiss and really it took a moment of sheer luck to crack goal. 

After that opening loss, Spain never trailed the rest of the tournament grinding out results, waiting patiently for the right moment to strike six straight victories including four straight 1-0 wins in the knockout round to lift the Jules Rimet Trophy for the first time in the country's history. 

Where they won the tournament was through the middle - Xavi, Pique, Puyol, Iniesta, Alonso. If you read any of the ESPNsoccernet recaps, you would see in their sidebars some really insightful stats like time of possession. Spain absolutely radiated in this category as teams truly feared going forward too far and leaving themselves vulnerable to Villa, Iniesta, and Pedro. 

For the tournament Spain controlled 60.9 percent of possession, the first team ever to eclipse 60 percent - by far the most telling stat. Looking at the final, and not surprising considering the last stat, Spain owned 59.3 percent of the touches - the highest ever by a team in the final since the stat was tracked in 1966. 

And so you see the road map that Vincente Del Bosque followed to drive Espania to its first even World Cup.

Spain

Best Moment: Pretty simple, there are two — when Andres Iniesta struck the latest game-winner ever in the 116th minute of the game, which led to FIFA president Sepp Blatter handing the Jules Rimet Trophy to Spanish captain Iker Casillas setting off fireworks and a flow of confetti as well as the biggest fiesta ever in the history of the Iberia Peninsula.

Worst Moment: There weren't many, maybe just this one when Gelson Fernandes scored in the 52nd minute to give Switzerland a 1-0 win over Espania in the opening game.

Best Result: Again very simple, the 1-0 win over the Netherlands in the World Cup final.

Worst Result: The 1-0 loss to Switzerland.

Final Tally: World Champions — 6 wins, 1 loss, 8 goals scored (fewest ever for a champion by 3 goals), 2 goals conceded

Worst Player: Can't pick anyone, this was a real team effort and there were no letups, not even in the lone loss to Switzerland, which took a couple of lucky bounces.

Best Player: For me David Villa was the best player scoring five goals (tied for the tournament lead) and one assist. However, Iker Casillas showed especially later in the tournament why I believe he is the best goal keeper in the world by making great save after great save throughout the knockout round. He got better, more comfortable, and certainly more clutch as the tournament progressed and was voted the World Cup's top keeper. Back to Villa though, the soon-to-be Barcelona striker scored five of the team's first six goals in the tournament, four of which were game-winners and none of which were cheapies. He was simply brilliant in the left-forward position and pretty much unstoppable out there. When he was forced to go in the middle to replace Fernando Torres, he did not perform as well. Still his presence opened things up for his teammates as Spain that struggled to score goals, but were efficient when they did so.