FIFA World Cup 2010: Spain Ready for Big Final against Netherlands
The reigning European champions, Spain, are all set to add a jewel in their crown as they take on Netherlands in the final of the Football World Cup at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday night.
The excitement in the country is palpable, and same is the case with the team, who are busy strategizing the Dutch demise.
Spain are hopeful that they will become the third team in history to beat the Dutch in a World Cup final, after West Germany and Argentina in the 1974 and 1978 tournament deciders.
This is an unparalleled occasion for both countries, given their lacklustre performance in the last three decades.
The capital city of Madrid in Spain began preparing a new fan zone and site where celebrations will take place when 'La Roja (The Red One)', the name given to the Spanish football team, returns home on Monday.
Regardless of the result at the Soccer City stadium in Jo’burg, fans are expected to flock to meet their soccer team to celebrate the country's first World Cup final appearance.
Despite their first appearance in the final, most of the fans are hopeful of a win by their team, and are looking forward to the momentous occasion in the European country’s rich sporting history.
It is already being argued that the current generation of the Spanish team is the best ever, given their success in the European Championships in 2008, and of course the sterling performance in South Africa, after a shocking loss to Switzerland in their opening match of the event.
"They are going to win. I am sure. 1-0," screamed a Spanish supporter, as he went to look at the stage near Madrid's Manzanares River.
Another fan was a little cautious; fearing that there was far too much euphoria and adrenalin in the country.
"Whoever scores more goals (will win). It's a very even match, I think we are even but all Spaniards wish for a Spanish win, of course, but we can't discard Holland. Also there is too much euphoria. I think we must be more prudent," he said.
Although nobody can predict the outcome of the match (except, of course, Paul the Psychic Octopus), there will be millions of Spaniards who would be out in their numbers in support of their team.
"The final will be played by 46 million," read the headline of Marca, which made a reference to the entire Spanish population, and gave a hint of how much is at stake in the final of the 19th edition of the World Cup.
The case is similar in other newspapers and electronic media, as one of the country's main sports newspapers carried a photograph of influential Spanish playmaker Andres Iniesta, and a headline reading 'We will make you happy.'
Whatever happens on Sunday, we are guaranteed a new winner of the World Cup who will join the likes of Uruguay, Italy, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, and France as one of the very few that have tasted success at the highest level of football, in the most watched sporting event in the world.
The victory will also be a first World Cup win for a European side playing in another continent.
If the Spaniards succeed, it will be their first win; a feat which will certainly be celebrated by the soccer mad nation, while the Dutch would be praying that it becomes a case of third time lucky for them, as some of the older generation in the country still recall the bitter disappointment of two back-to-back defeats in the finals of 1974 and ‘78.
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