World Cup 2010: The Last Team Standing

As we march into the final of World Cup 2010 with two teams that have never won it, there is little doubt that it has proved itself to be a World Cup of firsts.

Very few would have predicted at the start of the tournament that Netherlands would be sitting in the final so it may not be very wise to count them out of winning it despite the fact that Spain are clear favorites.

Spain’s possession football master class against Germany will have convinced any emerging doubters that the pre-tournament favorites remain the team to beat despite being dethroned by Brazil just before the World Cup as the World’s top ranked team.

It has been said time and again that Spain plays just like Barcelona and this should be of little surprise given who features in their midfield, the most critical part of the modern game. Even Dutch legend Johan Cruyff has been on record predicting a Spanish victory and great admiration of their style of play likened to his own “total football.”

For the superstitious, renowned psychic Paul the octopus has also tipped Spain to emerge triumphant. He is said to have an unblemished record in the tournament and has been spot on, correctly predicting all the results of his native Germany during the tournament. We however still have his prediction that Germany will finish 3rd to watch for.

Generally regarded as the best team to never lift the World Cup, Netherlands on the other hand finally has a chance to make amends for their failings of 1974 and 1978. The class of 2010 may not be as flamboyant as that “total football” era but they boast a record of 25 games unbeaten. This run includes a record 100% qualifying campaign and World Cup so far, potentially matching the great 1970 Brazil team as the only other team to achieve the feat.

Under Bert van Marwijk, Netherlands are clearly a team that has learnt how to win and they do not care whether this comes with flair or if they just have to grind out the result. While more star-studded predecessor squads often had success compromised by differences within the team, the class of 2010 seems to be unified in their quest. They are also not under as much pressure as their predecessors because not many genuinely gave them a chance before the tournament and they are likely to thrive as underdogs in the final.

Ardent believers that history tends to repeat itself will have very little to refer to for this clash. The records read Played 8: Holland 4 wins, 1 Draw, Spain 3 wins. Netherlands has however won the last two meetings in 2000 and 2001, but these were only friendly games, and Spain has since grown by leaps and bounds with especially their European Championship to draw confidence from. The only ‘modern’ competitive matches between these two came in the 1984 European Championship qualifiers but they had a win apiece.

If Spain is allowed to control the game the way they did against Germany, they will undoubtedly prevail.

Just like Mourinho did against Barcelona’s possession game in the just concluded European Champions League, Bert van Marwijk may however just uncover the strategy to have the last laugh. He does after all in Wesley Sneijder have the same weapon to call upon to shut up the mouths of his critics and probably put Paul the octopus out of business.