Iconic Iniesta supplies final word for Spain in fiesty finale

Spanish players and fans can't contain their excitement after Iniesta's late strike

Monday 12th July 2010 (11/07/10)
Netherlands 0
Spain 1 – Iniesta 116
Soccer City Stadium

(see poll at bottom of review)

A patient Spain finally got their reward in the extra-time of a very frantic game against the Netherlands, to achieve their first ever World Cup.

By Connor Whitmore

So he scored the winning goal in the final minutes of the World Cup final, he won his sixth major trophy in three years, and had a pass completion rate at this World Cup of 80.3%. But was Iniesta a hero, or a villain? Was the glory of his natural passing game and instinctive creative play undermined by his diving antics throughout the tournament?

It’s clear that Iniesta was the spark in the Spanish side, the midfielder that seemed to make everything tick, more than Xavi and Alonso. His runs, his different ranges of passing, his shooting ability, his awareness and his accuracy in everything he did definitely gave him the right to be one of the players of the tournament. But there is another aspect to his game which makes you question whether he deserved the attention he got.

Which one of these players should Capello really have taken to South Africa?

Urgent Khedira grabs third for Germany

Sami Khedira celebrates with team-mate Per Mertesacker as Uruguayan defender Martin Carceres looks on in despair

Saturday 10th July 2010 (10/06/10)
Uruguay 2 – Cavani 28, Forlan 51
Germany 3 – Muller 18, Jansen 56, Khedira 82
The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Germany edged Uruguay in a tight game at The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to achieve third place in the finals and a third straight medal at a World Cup.

By Connor Whitmore

It’s normally the case at World Cups that the third and fourth place play-off is like a simple kick around in the park, and that neither team is bothered or up for it in any way. This is the game where each of the managers take the opportunity to let some of their fringe, or even younger players show their potential for future matches.

But it would be untrue to describe this penultimate game of the World Cup as a kick around. If anything, it was one of the matches of the tournament – an encounter full of flair and elan, where both teams were clearly giving it their all in desperation to grab third spot. However, it was also an event for unknown players to show their qualities in the beautiful game.

Persistent Puyol nods Spain into ‘Total Football’ finale

Wednesday 7th July 2010 (07/07/10)
Germany 0
Spain 1 – Puyol 73
Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

Carles Puyol headed in the only goal of an edgy game in Durban to ensure Spain’s second major final in four years.

By Connor Whitmore

Just how much did Germany miss Michael Ballack? On the surface, you could say not very much, seeing as Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira were sweeping basically everything that was thrown at them during the World Cup. Their guarding of the defence was always key to the linking of the German team, and many of their fine moves came from the breaking-up qualities of these two exceptional talents.

Holland “JO” Uruguay to head to Johannesburg

Tuesday 6th July 2010 (06/07/10)
Uruguay 2 – Forlan 41, Pereira 90+2
Netherlands 3 – van Bronckhorst 18, Sneijder 70, Robben 73
Green Point Stadium, Cape Town

A tired-looking Netherlands side edged out a hard-working Uruguayan team in a gripping and tense encounter in Cape Town to reach their first World Cup final since 1978.

By Connor Whitmore

From this match, an intensely gripping one, many thought-provoking ideas popped into my head as to which was the most important one to take from it. For me, it wouldn’t be the brilliance of Sneijder, or the resurrected magic of Diego Forlan that many struggled to observe at Manchester United, but the downfall of a certain Rafael van der Vaart. Just where has he gone? Someone who used to be such a sensational prospect all over Holland and beyond, has suddenly become a low profile tag-a-long who can’t make the Dutch first eleven anymore.