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Netherlands' Arjen Robben, left, and Netherlands' Dirk Kuyt, right, celebrate following the World Cup semifinal soccer match between Uruguay and the Netherlands at the Green Point stadium in Cape Town, South Africa, Tuesday, July 6, 2010. Netherlands defeated Uruguay 3-2. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
It’s the most watched sporting event in the world, and the 2010 World Cup has its dream finale, as the fast-finishing Netherlands take on the champions of possession football in Spain.
Both sides have peaked at just the right time, and Spain’s early 1-0 defeat to Switzerland seems a world away now that Vicente del Bosque’s side are just one game from a first ever World Cup title.
Much as Germany were arguably the most entertaining team in the tournament, there’s something so refreshing about the fact that a new name will hoist the Jules Rimet Trophy skywards with the eyes of the globe on Soccer City.
Spain have been pragmatic throughout, but in Barcelona duo Andres Iniesta and Xavi they have two of the best keep-ball experts in world football, while their new club-mate David Villa is locked in a head-to-head duel with Dutch playmaker Wesley Snejider for possession of the Golden Boot.
Sneijder has enjoyed a tremendous tournament so far, but it’s Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben who looks the key man for the Dutch, with the electrifying winger displaying the kind of form that has made him one of the hottest properties in the Bundesliga.
Robben’s close ball control and impressive turn of pace have seen him ghost past countless defenders, and his battle with a resolute Spanish back four could be decisive on what will be another crisp evening in Johannesburg.
For a tournament that started out slowly, FIFA must be rubbing their hands with glee at the fact that history will be made by one of these two great footballing nations, who will finally end a long wait to get their hands on the World Cup trophy.
Indeed, the knock-out stages of the 2010 World Cup have been gripping stuff, and the semi-finals were once again no exception – even if Spain’s tense 1-0 win over Germany differed to the high-scoring excitement of the Netherlands’ 3-2 win over Uruguay.
Hopefully both teams will have saved the best for last, and after the slightly surreal circumstances of the 2006 final – dominated as it was by Zinedine Zidane’s send off – we’ll be talking about the football displayed rather than any controversial refereeing decisions.
From the outset I tipped Spain to win the tournament and Villa to finish as top scorer, but having watched the Netherlands grow in stature over the knock-out stages, now I’m not so sure.
I just hope that the two finalists aren’t struck down by a serious case of stagefright, although in that regard Spain hold an obvious advantage having been crowned European champions just two years ago.
Perhaps that’s the reason that I find myself quietly wishing for one of world football’s most enigmatic sides to add to their threadbare trophy cabinet, with Bert van Marwijk desperately hoping to join the great Rinus Michels in the pantheon of Dutch trophy winners.
I also hope that the much-maligned third place playoff proves an entertaining affair, and the lover of underdogs in me would like to see Uruguay pull off an upset against a German side which finished third on home soil in 2006.
Uruguay have undoubtedly been the surprise package of the 2010 tournament, although their run probably shouldn’t have come as such a surprise given the prolific domestic form of star strikers Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez.
The latter will of course be available after serving a one-match suspension for his now infamous handball against Ghana, but even the return of Suarez pales in comparison to the main event.
Spain versus the Netherlands is a promoters dream, and after all the doubts and misgivings, South Africa has truly served up a unique World Cup – right down to an intriguing final showdown.
I can’t split the two sides, they’re both brimming with quality, and with any luck the final will prove a worthy spectacle for a tournament that has continued to increase in quality with each game played.