World Cup 2010 Final. Spain vs Netherlands (English Commentary)

Trivandaville and Nigel de Jong returning, having missed two. Snyder and Robben, two of five starters who... He's creating history. Four Englishmen have been in charge. And a three Real Madrid and Villarreal's semi-final hero, Carlos Puyol, moves into... There are the posh seats, the royal seats, not by design anywhere inside Soccer City tonight. Marwijk, also with such strong Spanish connections. The biggest game in football begins. There'll be a great deal of patience. ...verdict again. The football being played and passed in the Dutch... In from Xabi, headed... Goal! Down to block a second time. Clearance completed by Count. That's a top... Just hovering around the edge of the box. He's got a game. Context of the save. Busquets has missed it. It's to the couch. And it was just a speculative effort. It's Count Sergio Ramos! And it's turned over the top somehow by Heitinger. Looked as though he could so easily have put that in. Xabi Alonso, that's a beauty! It's into the side netting. What a ball for Villa. Oh, there you go, look. What a shot. Racing on. Van Persie, up for the Arsenal man. Yeah, there could be no straighter than this. Van Persie. Not a convincing actor either. Robben, he's brought down now by Puyol. And it looks as though Howard Webb's gone to his pocket again. 1-1. He's delivered a pace. Well, it was shot in a pace by Snyder. He... Heitinger's up for this. It was Xabi. That's a cruncher. It's Van Bommel. That's a book-in. That is a book-in. Well, we did say it would come before long. Mark Van Bommel has already left his mark on his old Barcelona couch. And it's caught by Sergio Ramos. And that's been given as a free kick too. I think the crowd is claiming he should shoot this time. He will whip it across. Van Bommel has to... Tinger and Matthyssen did their best to gobble him up. Alonso has been caught. And very heavily indeed. And that's got everybody on the Spanish bench up to their feet. Big decision here. The yellow's out. Yeah, it's in the league. Aim on the base of that trophy tonight. When that can be treated. That won't be happening in a few months' time in La Liga. Something different. Van Bommel to Matthyssen. Missed it. Or a goal or two. Frank de Boer on the... Here's Pedro. Going for goal but dragging it wide. Positive burst from... Well, it's been a half known for its tackling rather than... It's going to be a shot on goal from Xabi Alonso. Plenty of sting in it. He didn't have the direction. Another couple of minutes at least. Now Robben. And it had to be saved by Casillas. It's half-time in the 19th World Cup final. Need to start the second half. And it comes for Puyol. And Captor Villas left his chance. It was just a little bit behind him. Yeah, great. Diesta. Alonso. Trying to get there before Van Bommel. They're shoulder to shoulder with one another and it's a goal. Goes for goal. And I think that one might have been going wide but Casillas has helped him smartly by Villa. And then Sergio Ramos was fouled as he tried to get onto Pedro's return pass. Yeah, he's at the head of the queue. Xabi goes for it. He wasn't far away but I think Stecklenburg knew where it was going. Well, he was always going in that direction. He's been caught late by John Heitinger there. And he's down. Robben takes it. Went all the way through. The flag was up. Bronckhorst finds Kaut. Looking for Van Persie who was in front of Puyol. Yeah, Puyol as well. Eventually they'll just get a little bit of pressure on him. Here's the chance. Arjen Robben is in. And Arjen Robben has been denied by Casillas. Great miss. All wonderful save. Well, it's down as a wonderful save for me because Robben, Dutch will still press. It's Heitinger going for it. Persie has managed to get away from Puyol and he's brought down by Cap de Villa. Another yellow card coming. Yeah, he's clipped his heels, Cap de Villa. Bronckhorst firing it across. It's David Villa! What a block! Incredibly, Spain haven't gone ahead. Alonso's ball was a beauty and Stecklenburg in Turner. It's Torres, Liverpool colleague. Dirk Kuyt is here ahead of him. Players over on the right. Well, well done, Howard-Webb. Well done. David Villa. Back to Navas who's clipping it across for Villa. That would have been special. Back to Xavi again. Villa will get it again. Villa's shot. Took a deflection, did it. Corner. Xavi's corner. Free header! That's the opening for Sergio Ramos. That should have been 1-0 Spain. It had to be 1-0 Spain. There's no... Oh, there it is. Oh, left the boot in the trot on him. Robben has eaten up the ground. He's kept his feet. And Casillas has thwarted him once more. I just wonder if Piyol... Alonso, once there's a Piyol, just sort of caught Robben. Here comes Fabregas and they're off. And we are going to have 30 additional minutes. Mark at the second half. Mark van Vormel. Nigel de Jong. Arjen Robben. Play through. It's Fabregas. Says Fabregas. Good block, Stecklenburg. Another big... Snyder's corner. Casillas doesn't get anywhere near it. Over the top. Well, he's screaming. Casillas, how much... Van der Vaart. Off Real Madrid. Navas. Fabregas has darted into the middle. Oh, Jesus Navas. It was saved by Stecklenburg. Just for a moment, I thought it had gone through. Relatedly, he had room. And now he drives on. Really good bit of play from Cesc Fabregas. He was just missing the final. It's his return. Like for like. Played through for an Esther who was held back. Heitinger. Well, he's got to go. Absolutely. Little doubt. Second yellow card. John Heitinger is sent off. The fifth player to be sent off in a World Cup final. Xavi to strike. Got it up. Got it over. Never got it down. Iniesta. He's been caught by van der Veel. Now, he hasn't been booked. He has now. Now Snyder hits it. And Casillas was getting across. It was deflected anyway. Looking for Fabregas. Now it's Iniesta. This is it. Well done, Cesc Fabregas. He picks his pass out. Andres Iniesta. Is somewhere underneath that crowd. Stedtlenberg beaten. Sure, it's often a celebration. Or has he been? Yeah, he has been booked. But had the double deflection. Wasn't given as for a corner. And then that tackle as well. On Alaia. Look at the Queen. Hey, Torres. Iniesta. He's been brought down. All time. They've made history. They've won the World Cup. For the very first time. It's Spain. Dutch will protest. They'll continue to do so. Spain. Clarence, I'm sure you're hurting as a proud Dutchman. But at the end of the day, are Spain worthy winners? Yeah, well, I think that in the last 30 minutes, yes. During the 90 minutes, I think it was quite well in balance. Also from, you know, the occasion from both sides. Great goalkeeping. Five kilograms of 18 karat gold. And it belongs to Spain. The trophy that means that Spain are the kings of world football.