After 30 games of largely breathless, unpredictable and exciting football, it was almost a question of expecting the unexpected in the final of UEFA EURO 2008 Only this time, for once, there was no late twist, no sudden turn. Spain had waited 44 years to get their hands on a trophy and once Fernando Torres had fired them in front against Germany after 33 minutes there was no way they were relaxing their grip. Sunday is a working day in Egypt, but Egyptian football fans had been preparing themselves for the night of the final since the morning. Fans were divided; supporters of each country were wearing their shirts and waving their flags in the streets. Clubs, restaurants, hotels and even embassies had propped up huge TV screens for spectators and the German and Spanish communities in Egypt to follow the final. According to the UEFA 2008 official website, news on the eve of the match that Germany captain Michael Ballack was suffering from a calf injury and might not play was just the latest cliff-hanger in a captivating tale that had kept a global audience enthralled since kick-off on 7 June. As the late evening sun beat down on a heaving Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna, that opening game in the rain of Basel seemed a long way off. Both host nations bowed out in the group stage for the first time at a UEFA European Championship, but it hardly mattered in the scheme of things. The Netherlands got the party started on and off the pitch, their flamboyant football matching the brilliant orange of their fans, and it kept going long after they had bid an early farewell. That was thanks in large part to Turkey's penchant for late drama. You could not take your eyes off the action as last-gasp goals turned games in one direction, and often in the case of Fatih Terim's side, then another. One constant between the first week and the last, though, was the quality of Spain's play. They kicked off with a 4-1 rout of Russia and did not let up until the final whistle had blown on their victory against Germany in the final. Not only were Luis Aragonés' team playing with freedom and confidence, but also with a consistency that set them apart from their rivals. In turn the likes of David Villa, Iker Casillas, Marcos Senna and Cesc Fàbregas contributed match-winning displays. Sunday night it was Fernando Torres who stepped up. Playing alone up front in the absence of injured strike partner Villa, he seized his chance to take centre stage. Questions had been raised about Torres' form coming into the game. He scored 24 Premier League goals for Liverpool FC last term, but a return of just one in five matches here had raised concern. Not, however, with Aragonés; there was no doubting his sharpness. First he took the aerial route, heading Sergio Ramos's cross on to the post, before the moment Spanish supporters had waited so long for finally arrived. Xavi Hernàndez's pass into the right channel on 33 minutes looked more hopeful than threatening, but Torres outsprinted then, outmuscled Philipp Lahm to get round the Germany left-back and to get to the ball before chipping over Jens Lehmann and into the net. Torres was only three months old when Spain last reached the final of a major tournament, the UEFA European Championship in 1984. Ironically, the man who broke Spanish hearts that day, Michel Platini, handed them the trophy this time. It was a link between the present and the past as Torres's goal brought long-awaited joy to a whole new generation of Spanish fans. According to captain Casillas, the measure of Spanish national pride in this achievement would only be felt when the players returned home with the Henri Delaunay trophy on Monday. "I still can't believe we've done it," the goalkeeper told euro2008.com. "We can't really know what is happening in Spain right now, but we know what it is like in the dressing room and we are living this success with the squad and with the fans who have come here to support us. But I'm sure they are absolutely delighted back home. It is about time they had something like this to celebrate because Spain is a proper football country and we'll get to see more of this tomorrow. "We are dedicating this win to the Spanish people -- and me personally to everyone in my life, personally and professionally," continued Casillas, who conceded only two goals during Spain's six games from their Group D procession in Innsbruck and Salzburg, through to the final waltz in Vienna. "I would agree that we've been the best team if you look at the games we've played. We deserved to beat Italy in the quarter- finals, it was an emphatic win against Russia and today was the same." The final word was reserved for departing coach Aragonés, Casillas saying: "He is a phenomenon, it's a shame he is leaving the job because he really is a phenomenon."
