Spain wins Euro 2008

Spain regain glory after 44 years

A happy fairy tail ending for the Spain football team was waiting for then in Vienna as they won regained the European glory after 44 years thanks to a fantastic Fernando Torres Goal.



Fernando Torres scored in the 33rd minute and the Spaniards never backed down against such a formidable opponent. Their last significant title came in the 1964 Euros at home.

That all changed at these Euros, where the Spaniards swept their first-round games, eliminated World Cup champion Italy in a penalty-kicks shootout in the quarterfinals, then routed Russia 3-0 in the semifinals.

Against the highly accomplished Germans, they weren’t intimidated. They got the one goal they needed—from a slumping striker, no less—and set off chants of “ES-PANA,” and “Ole, Ole Ole” at the final whistle.

Germany has won three Euros and three World Cups, but was no match in this final. Captain Michael Ballack, questionable before the game with a calf injury, started, but hardly was noticeable—except when he left for several minutes to have a bloody right eye treated.

Torres, who had 33 goals for Liverpool this season but has been invisible in Euros, came through off a brilliant feed from Xavi Hernandez.

Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, at 38 the oldest player in the competition, charged from his net when he saw that defender Philipp Lahm was beaten on the right side. But Torres chipped the ball over the sliding Lehmann and into the gaping goal.


This was the last game for 69-year-old Luis Aragones, the oldest coach to win the Euros. Germany’s Joachim Loew has a contract through the 2010 World Cup, but will need to find the spark Germany showed only periodically in Austria and Switzerland.

Spain has never made a World Cup final and was in one other Euros final, aside from the 1964 triumph. That was a loss to France in 1984.

Otherwise, there had been nothing but disappointment and early exits from big tournaments. Two years ago, the Spaniards were dynamic in the opening round in Germany, then fizzled against France.

With two of the world’s top clubs, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, the nation has tons of talent. What it has lacked is fortitude.

But now they have done it and in grand fashion. Its Amigo time now !

(C)Sportstoday- Sriram