Spain finally ended their 44-year trophy drought with a deserved 1-0 triumph over Germany in the Euro 2008 final at Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna.
The team without a major trophy since their Euro 1964 success on home soil, were the better side at some of the most basic aspects of the match and deservedly has been proclaimed champions to finally throw their underachievers tag.
The victory wrapped up an excellent tournament for the Spanish, playing a high-quality and entertaining football throughout the tournament, that helped make Euro 2008 as one of the best tournaments for years.
Though long recognised as one of the powerhouses in European football and producing an endless series of individual talents, Spain had not won a major trophy since 1964.
It was their first final since Euro 1984 when they lost to old political rivals and neighbours France.
With two top clubs in the world, Real Madrid and Barcelona, Spain loaded with talented players but only to fail in every major tournaments, usually in the quarter-finals.
That all changed at Euro 2008, where La Furia Roja became the first team to win the trophy with 100 percent record since France in 1984, swept all of their group matches, expelled world champions Italy in a penalty shoot-out in the quarterfinals, then crushed Russia 3-0 in the semi-final.
The Spaniards deserved to win the trophy as they scored more goals and conceded less than any other team in the tournament.
Germany came into the match with a full squad available after Michael Ballack recovered in time to make the squad, and he lined up in attacking midfield with Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski to either side of him.
While Spain deployed Fernando Torres alone up front after an injury ruled strike partner David Villa out of the final, with Cesc Fàbregas, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and David Silva supported the Liverpool forward.
Spain had gone close on 23rd minute when the energetic Sergio Ramos cut in from the right and launched a cross to the far post, where Torres outjumped the taller Per Mertersacker but saw his header strike the inside of the post.
Ten minutes later Spain eventually were in the lead.
Xavi was the creator as he launched a piercing through ball for Torres, who outpaced the hesitated Philipp Lahm and dinked a delicate chip over the advancing Jens Lehmann.
Lahm was guilty as he seemed to have Xavi's through-ball covered but was hesitated as he hoped Lehmann would reach it first.
The Bayern Munich full-back paid for his error as he was replaced by club team-mate Marcel Jansen at half-time.
Spain almost netted their second goal in the second half with Ramos' header forced Lehmann into a fine block after a dreadful Germany marking from a Xavi free-kick.
While Marcos Senna came within inches from sealing the win in the final 10 minutes but the Brazilian-born midfielder was unable to meet substitute Daniel Güiza's header back across with the goal at his mercy.
Germany pressed late on using long balls in a desperate bid to claim an equaliser but the match ended with the Germans struggling to clear the ball out of their own half.
Germany coach Joachim Löw admitted that Spain fully deserved the triumph for their performances during the tournament.
The Nationalmannschaft, as Russia before them in the semi-final, were simply inferior to the Spaniards as the difference in technical quality between the Spanish and Germans midfielders were huge.
Though injured captain Ballack got over his calf muscle injury to play, he was never able to put his full influence on the match.
For German skipper Ballack, it was more disappointment as it adds to his back luck at major finals.
The Chelsea man missed the 2002 World Cup final because he was suspended and has also lost two Champions League finals - add that to a defeat to Tottenham in the Carling Cup final, and that makes four runner-up medals in four months for him.
Spain coach Luis Aragones will now leave his post as a champion.
The 69-year-old will step down after the tournament and set to join Turkish side Fenerbahçe.
Aragones, the oldest coach to win a European Championship title, leaving his successor with the side that constructed a group that won the European Championship and is capable of winning the World Cup.
Germany: 1-Jens Lehmann; 3-Arne Friedrich, 17-Per Mertesacker, 21-Christoph Metzelder, 16-Philipp Lahm (2-Marcell Jansen 46); 7-Bastian Schweinsteiger, 8-Torsten Frings, 13-Michael Ballack, 15-Thomas Hitzlsperger (22-Kevin Kurányi 58), 20-Lukas Podolski; 11-Miroslav Klose (9-Mario Gómez 79)
Spain: 1-Iker Casillas; 15-Sergio Ramos, 5-Carles Puyol, 4-Carlos Marchena, 11-Joan Capdevila; 19-Marcos Senna; 6-Andrés Iniesta, 8-Xavi, 10-Cesc Fàbregas (14-Xabi Alonso 63), 21-David Silva (12-Santi Cazorla 66); 9-Fernando Torres (17-Daniel Güiza 78)
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
Statistics:
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The team without a major trophy since their Euro 1964 success on home soil, were the better side at some of the most basic aspects of the match and deservedly has been proclaimed champions to finally throw their underachievers tag.
The victory wrapped up an excellent tournament for the Spanish, playing a high-quality and entertaining football throughout the tournament, that helped make Euro 2008 as one of the best tournaments for years.
Though long recognised as one of the powerhouses in European football and producing an endless series of individual talents, Spain had not won a major trophy since 1964.
It was their first final since Euro 1984 when they lost to old political rivals and neighbours France.
With two top clubs in the world, Real Madrid and Barcelona, Spain loaded with talented players but only to fail in every major tournaments, usually in the quarter-finals.
That all changed at Euro 2008, where La Furia Roja became the first team to win the trophy with 100 percent record since France in 1984, swept all of their group matches, expelled world champions Italy in a penalty shoot-out in the quarterfinals, then crushed Russia 3-0 in the semi-final.
The Spaniards deserved to win the trophy as they scored more goals and conceded less than any other team in the tournament.
Germany came into the match with a full squad available after Michael Ballack recovered in time to make the squad, and he lined up in attacking midfield with Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski to either side of him.
While Spain deployed Fernando Torres alone up front after an injury ruled strike partner David Villa out of the final, with Cesc Fàbregas, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and David Silva supported the Liverpool forward.
Spain had gone close on 23rd minute when the energetic Sergio Ramos cut in from the right and launched a cross to the far post, where Torres outjumped the taller Per Mertersacker but saw his header strike the inside of the post.
Ten minutes later Spain eventually were in the lead.
Xavi was the creator as he launched a piercing through ball for Torres, who outpaced the hesitated Philipp Lahm and dinked a delicate chip over the advancing Jens Lehmann.
Lahm was guilty as he seemed to have Xavi's through-ball covered but was hesitated as he hoped Lehmann would reach it first.
The Bayern Munich full-back paid for his error as he was replaced by club team-mate Marcel Jansen at half-time.
Spain almost netted their second goal in the second half with Ramos' header forced Lehmann into a fine block after a dreadful Germany marking from a Xavi free-kick.
While Marcos Senna came within inches from sealing the win in the final 10 minutes but the Brazilian-born midfielder was unable to meet substitute Daniel Güiza's header back across with the goal at his mercy.
Germany pressed late on using long balls in a desperate bid to claim an equaliser but the match ended with the Germans struggling to clear the ball out of their own half.
Germany coach Joachim Löw admitted that Spain fully deserved the triumph for their performances during the tournament.
The Nationalmannschaft, as Russia before them in the semi-final, were simply inferior to the Spaniards as the difference in technical quality between the Spanish and Germans midfielders were huge.
Though injured captain Ballack got over his calf muscle injury to play, he was never able to put his full influence on the match.
For German skipper Ballack, it was more disappointment as it adds to his back luck at major finals.
The Chelsea man missed the 2002 World Cup final because he was suspended and has also lost two Champions League finals - add that to a defeat to Tottenham in the Carling Cup final, and that makes four runner-up medals in four months for him.
Spain coach Luis Aragones will now leave his post as a champion.
The 69-year-old will step down after the tournament and set to join Turkish side Fenerbahçe.
Aragones, the oldest coach to win a European Championship title, leaving his successor with the side that constructed a group that won the European Championship and is capable of winning the World Cup.
| Germany |  | 0 - 1 |  | Spain |
| Fernando Torres 33 |
Germany: 1-Jens Lehmann; 3-Arne Friedrich, 17-Per Mertesacker, 21-Christoph Metzelder, 16-Philipp Lahm (2-Marcell Jansen 46); 7-Bastian Schweinsteiger, 8-Torsten Frings, 13-Michael Ballack, 15-Thomas Hitzlsperger (22-Kevin Kurányi 58), 20-Lukas Podolski; 11-Miroslav Klose (9-Mario Gómez 79)
Spain: 1-Iker Casillas; 15-Sergio Ramos, 5-Carles Puyol, 4-Carlos Marchena, 11-Joan Capdevila; 19-Marcos Senna; 6-Andrés Iniesta, 8-Xavi, 10-Cesc Fàbregas (14-Xabi Alonso 63), 21-David Silva (12-Santi Cazorla 66); 9-Fernando Torres (17-Daniel Güiza 78)
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
Statistics:
| Shots on target : | 1 | - | 7 |
| Shots off target : | 2 | - | 8 |
| Ball possession (%) : | 52 | - | 48 |
| Corner kicks : | 4 | - | 7 |
| Offsides : | 5 | - | 4 |
| Fouls : | 21 | - | 19 |
| Yellow cards : | 2 | - | 2 |
| Red cards : | 0 | - | 0 |
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