The Best Team Won... Again.

The Bafana Bafana. The Vuvuzela. Soccer City. Diego Forlan and David Villa. The Cup, from the year 2010, is now over.

Thank you, because it was brilliant.

Thank you, and now I'm a little sad...

El Roja deserved to win today. Robben had the chance to sneak a goal via a brilliant through ball from Sneijder (I think) and Casillas made perhaps the most well-timed sprawl a keeper can make. But can I deny Stekelenburg's amazing save of Sergio Ramos' first (and more difficult) header?

Yes, the game was sloppy, nervous, and indecisive. But damn, those keepers had a game.

To me, the whole tournament rewarded and penalized in a just fashion. The unfortunate circumstances of some squads were little more than an inevitable reality check from teams that played too loose. The ambitious, driven squads awed and upset opponents but were eventually found lacking. The counter-attack was successful (and fashionable) but ultimately, the possessive, patient teams won.

Many say this cup lacked in sport. I'm not one of those persons.

David Villa with a dead leg?!

Reports coming in that David Villa wasn't walking around all that comfortably on Friday. True they've been busy for weeks now playing games and fatigue/strain is a possibility. But what does this mean? Is Torres in at the beginning perhaps? Do we see Villa subbing in late? Hmmmm.... Little bit of Dutch luck, as Rud Guilit has been saying from the beginning...

With Suarez back, does Uruguay have a chance?

Some pundits argued that Saurez being out for the Dutch semi-final match allowed Uruguay to field a more defensive team, possibly setting up an upset over the newly re-mastered Clockwork Oranje. Ultimately, it didn't matter in that game, as we all know, though I would say quite a match to watch for excitement and play.

But now, for the consolation prize of third place, I wonder, does Uruguay maybe want it more than Germany? Remember, Germany has won third place in the last two World Cups so I could be way off my mark as recent history suggests that third for Deautschland is far superior than fourth. But still, something about this whole tournament to me I feel gives Uruguay almost an edge, as if they have one more trick, one more stalwart performance left in them, and maybe with Saurez back in there, hungry and frothing at the mouth after watching the last game in suit and tie, we do see it: the upset over the Germans. Go Diego Forlan!

As far as the final goes, Spain need do little more than match the mastery of their performance against the Germans. Though I hate to admit, the play of Pedro over Torres at the beginning was a brilliant strategic move that bolstered their defense against the counter-attack and also provided a different kind of movement from the right side of the field. El Roja would be foolish not to field the exact same starting eleven.

I have a hard time seeing Spain lose tomorrow but if they do, Dirk Kuyt will have a hand in it, not as the scorer, but as the set-up man, transition hustler. Him and his goofy ears too.

Anyway, it's been a tournament.

The 'ol what if all our best athletes played soccer question...

Patrick Hruby does a pretty good job of explaining why, for example, Patrick Willis on defense wouldn't make the U.S. team any better just because he's such a dominating athlete. Though his answer is a little one-dimensional, still interesting reading.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/columns/story/_/id/5352349/ce/us/lebron-not-save-us-soccer?cc=5901&ver=us

ESSSSPPPAGGNNNAAA!!!!!

Yes, the Dutch did win as well, but the real game (and we all know this) was Germany v. Spain. And guess what? Spain has a little bit better of a defense than Argentina. (Goal scorer Puyol, Pique.) And England. (See parenthetical comment before.)

I suppose we should also mention that feeder Muller wasn't on the field AND the tactical change of Pedro in the midfield over Torres up front. Pedro had an amazing game, causing troubles for the German side throughout the first half, both on the dribble and passing. Muller, absent, couldn't feed the perfect counter attack ball, nor could he maintain the calm that he established through the side throughout the tournament.

Then again, I don't think Muller had to worry about coming from behind before. (Correct me when I'm wrong please.)

So now it's two of my more favorite teams in the final: The Netherlands and The Spain. Oh wait, I guess The Spain doesn't need the article.

Anyway, we all know what the Netherlands need to do to win: Take the ball away from Spain. Then they can pretty much do with it what they will - just don't let the Spanish pressure you until cracking. All their wins are the same (Spain that is): 65% ball control, the game always in their opponents half, swarm defense on the counter-attack. It's not a bad plan really - until someone scores and their goal total minimalism becomes a stark and obvious flaw.

The Dutch, for their part, have plenty of urgency and desire to win the cup. Then there's the fact that they have some amazing players. Truly amazing players - I think Arjen Robben is unparalleled in this tournament for sheer impact on the game. Then, to balance things off, there's Dirk Kuyt. I'm a Liverpool supporter so I know about Dirk, but my god, that guy plays hard. He looks a little scary - his ears connote dude from Goonies. Hey you guys, what about Wesley Sneijder? Wow. Him and Schweinie were some of the best of this tournament. (Bye-bye Schweinie...)

All I'm saying is that I like both Holland and Spain as far as football is concerned but I have to root for one team. That team is...

Espagne!!!!!!

I say Spain beats Holland 2 -1.

By the way, nice work Grand Poobah for picking the two in the final. Kudos.

Deautschland making impressive moves...

It's the Euro 2008 final all over again - even with that boyish Torres going into the game still without a goal. Of course anyone at all paying attention knows the real scare for the German side is David Vila who, if the tournament were to end right now, would win the Golden Boot for his 5 goals. One of the other likely candidates? His counterpart on the German side he goes up against in the semis - Miroslav Klose.

As for Argentina, poor Diego Maradona who clearly was in agony as Germany picked through the porous Argentine defense. There were some concerns about their defending capabilities from the start, just not their goal scoring prowess. Unfortunately for L'Albiceleste, they could not match the Germans and their technical, unselfish, merciless counter attack play.

I have to admit it, I was going for Uruguay. Yeah, I know, I should have had more love for the last remaining African side, and I thought I did. In truth I had grown to like the tenacious (did you see that hand ball on the line!?!) play of Saurez and the amazing overall gameplay of Diego Forlan. And Ghana beat us. Twice. Knocked us out of two successive World Cups and there's no real way to get around that.

Anyway, the Dutch I still like. Arjen Robben is as good of a playmaker as there is in the tournament and his squad deserves to be where they are. I definitely did not see that win coming over Brazil but that's why the games are played.

So, I think it'll be Netherland v. Germany in the final, as I don't see Spain capable of stopping the prolific Germans while Uruguay can struggle all they want but you don't beat Brazil just to lose at the next stage to Uruguay. Right? Hmmm...

The better team won.

I'm done. I'm slightly excited about the fact that I don't have to anymore. I'm not a journalist, obviously. Cheers...