The 2010 World Cup held in South Africa ended Sunday with Spain winning its first championship by defeating the Netherlands 1-0 on Andres Iniesta's goal four minutes from the end of extra time. Spain is the third national team to become world and European champion at the same time.
It was the Netherlands' third defeat in a World Cup final. It had lost to West Germany in 1974 and to Argentina in 1978. Praise goes to the 32 participating teams, which gave the world excitement and emotion, and to South Africa, which hosted the first World Cup in Africa.
Spain thrilled fans by playing with lots of short passes to work the ball up the field. Spanish media praised the national team with such phrases as "A victory by beautiful soccer" and "To remain forever in history." De Telegraaf, the largest Dutch morning paper, said the national team "fought like a lion." But, referring to its third defeat in three World Cup finals, it said "The World Cup in South Africa will enter Dutch history as the third football trauma."