Keeping awake on two successive nights was a daunting task. Eventually between frequent blinks and big yawns, managed to catch the goals that counted.
Holland and Spain booked their places in the Final of the World Cup after tough battles. Both teams have never won the World Cup although Holland has appeared twice in 1974 and 1978 but came out second best on both occasions. Whichever team wins, a new name will be engraved on the Cup. Both teams are equally skillful and excellent, capable of being a worthy winner.
What interest me though are the performances of some club rejects early in the season. Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben proved that they are world class players despite Real Madrid dumping them. Sneijder finding his footing in Inter Milan and Robben excelled in Bayern Munich. Both met in the European Cup final where Inter and Sneijder triumphed.
Sneijder and Robben are equally instrumental in placing Holland into the final. A total of seven goals were scored between them. I have always admired Sneijder operating intelligently in the middle of the park with his accurate distribution, clever positioning and ability to shoot from distance.
Arjen Robben is a very skilful and 'delicate' player. I might find his theatrical antics on the field at times distasteful but in the modern world of soccer every shred of skill is always an advantage.
As for Germany, much has been said about the foresight of the German Football Association and the shrewd strategy of the team coach, Joachim Loew in placing trust in youth which have paid dividends handsomely. The values of these little known players like Muller, Jerome Boateng, Sami Kedhira and Mesut Ozil have shot rocketed sky high.
The Bundesliga has again proved to be a good nursery of future stars ready to blitz the world soccer and probably may eclipse the path of Rooney, Ronaldo and Messi.
Unfortunately, in the game where it counted the most, the young German guns just could not raised their game against the experienced Spanish side. Without the drive of influential Muller, the team succumbed to Spain losing by the single fabulous headed goal of Puyol.
The encounter in World Cup 2010 final between two great soccer nations of Holland and Spain professing attractive attacking soccer is something to savior. Perhaps Torres who has been prowess at Liverpool can finally ignite and avoid being labelled a World Cup outcast.
Fans are expecting this final game could surpass the epic encounter of 1974 between Holland and Germany; the clash between Johan Cruff, Johan Neeskens and Resenbrink on the Dutch side against Beckenbauer, Breitner and Gerd Muller on the German side.
I believe the outcome of the game will be determined by the battle of Sneijder and Robben on the Dutch side and Villa and Puyol on the Spanish side. If Sneijder and company can muscle their way and dictate the flow of the game, Holland can finally exorcised being labelled as a bridesmaid and lay claim on the elusive Cup.
To Holland and Spain, have a good and clean game.
May the best triumph...
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