Andres Iniesta ... matchwinner celebrates his goal. AP
Spain have won the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa final, defeating Netherlands 1-0 with a wonderful goal from Andres Iniesta deep into extra-time.
The goal saw Spain become the eighth world champions of football and only the third team to hold the FIFA World Cup and the European championship at the same time, after 1974 champions West Germany and 1998 winners France.
The first first-time champions since France in 1998, they also became the first team to win the final after losing their opening match of the tournament, Spain having lost 1-0 against Switzerland.
"It's incredible," Iniesta said after the game.
"What a joy especially when you see how we won it. There aren't the words to describe what I am feeling.
"After my goal, I thought about my family and all the people who I love. But the victory is the fruit of a lot of work."
Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk was downhearted.
"The best team won," van Marwijk said. "I am disappointed. It is a world championship and we have just lost a final."
Netherlands striker Dirk Kuyt was slightly less humble in defeat.
"We are angry because we we were so close," Kuyt said before lamenting two controversial moments involving English referee Howard Webb.
"The referee was slightly more for them than for us. That ultimately cost us the cup."
The quality of the match-deciding goal was in stark contrast to much of the action that had preceded it, a fact illustrated by glaring misses in the second half from Spain striker David Villa and Netherlands winger Arjen Robben.
Spain scored five minutes after Netherlands were reduced to 10 man, John Heitinga sent offence for a second bookable offence, a foul on Iniesta on the edge of the penalty area.
They launched a length-of-the-field counter-attack after Netherlands thought second-half substitute Eljero Elia had been fouled on the edge of the Spanish penalty area.
Jesus Navas broke down the right flank before cutting inside and linking with fellow substitutes Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas to work the opportunity for Iniesta.
Fabregas fed the ball to his fellow midfielder inside the Netherlands penalty area, and the Barcelona man drilled his shot past goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.
The final opened up in extra-time, with Spain regaining the ascendancy, and Stekelenburg made a marvellous save to deny Fabregas in the opening minutes of the first period after Iniesta had released the substitute midfielder one-on-one.
Fabregas also shot just wide in the closing stages of the first half of extra-time after a mazy run through the heart of the Netherlands defence.
And Navas had a fine shot deflected into the sidenetting with Stekelenburg beaten.
Robben had the best chance to win the match in the regulation 90 minutes, after springing the offside trap to collect a superb through-ball from Wesley Sneijder, but Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas made a tournament-defining stop, standing tall and saving with his feet after forcing the Dutchman to show his hand.
The ball fell then to Villa, Spain's gun scorer in this tournament, on the edge of the six-yard area five minutes later, but he couldn't lift the ball of the legs of prone Netherlands defender John Heitinga.
Robben had another chance in the final 10 minutes of regulation time, when he chased a long ball out of defence, outstripping Carles Puyol before Caillas grabbed the ball from the Dutchman's feet at the edge of the penalty area.
And Sergio Ramos spurned a great opportunity when he headed over the goal from an unmarked position in the six-yard area from a corner kick.
Casillas had earlier made another smart save to his left to deny Robben in stoppage-time at the end of the first half.
And Stekelenburg stood firm in the first half, producing a fine save to deny Ramos from a free kick by Xavi.
The final failed to match the pre-game forecasts, with Netherlands adopting an obdurate and physical approach in order to prevent Spain playing the flowing football for which they are known.
Indeed, the defining moments of the first half were fouls by Netherlands holding midfielders Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong as the match got niggly.
Webb booked Robin van Persie, Puyol, van Bommel and Ramos in the space of 10 minutes, and the fifth yellow card might easily have been a straight red after de Jong's reckless high challenge resulted in him planting his studs into Xabi Alonso's chest.
Line-ups: Netherlands v Spain
Netherlands: Maarten Stekelenburg; Gregory van der Wiel, John Heitinga, Joris Mathijsen, Giovanni van Bronckhorst (captain); Mark van Bommel, Nigel de Jong; Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Dirk Kuyt; Robin van Persie.Spain: Iker Casillas (captain); Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Joan Capdevila; Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso; Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Pedro; David Villa
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