As the end of the 2010 FIFA World Cup approaches, nobody can forget the historical moments that occurred in "The Rainbow Nation." The first ever World Cup held in the mesmerizing continent of Africa has been nothing short of spectacular. This year's World Cup has been filled with many captivating moments from nail biting extra time goals and game changing controversial calls to a long shot country capturing the hearts of not just the African continent, but also the whole entire world.
Now, the finals are set and two teams look to establish themselves as the champions of the world. The two teams that will be competing for The World Cup Trophy are the Netherlands and the 2008 Euro Cup winners, Spain. Both nations have traveled a long way and both have had to overcome adversity since the start of The World Cup four weeks ago to reserve their place in the finals. This Sunday, both these squads will be playing for their country's first ever World Cup title. Look for both sides to be extremely determined because everyone knows that a chance like this may never present itself again. With both sides trying to write history for their own country, who will be hoisting the FIFA World Cup Trophy at the end of it all?
On paper, Spain looks like the more superior team. The Spanish have a better goalie in Iker Casillas and a surging striker in David Villa, who is on his way to winning the competition's Golden Boot Award, which goes to the Cup's leading scorer. The only thing the Dutch have that are comparable to Spain's talented squad is their midfield, which I believe will be the determining factor in which side wins the first World Cup title for their country. The Netherlands have two generals on the field with Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder but Spain also have some proficient midfielders of their own in Xavi and Andres Iniesta, along with an attacking defender in Sergio Ramos. While it looks like Spain can overpower the Dutch with just pure talent, I doubt that the Dutch will allow Spain to push them around. As we all know, this is soccer and it isn't about the players that determines who wins a game, but more about the team chemistry. A perfect example is this year's horrendous French team. With star players like Franck Ribery, Florent Malouda, and Nicolas Anelka, France seemed like a great contender for winning this year's World Cup but because of their atrocious teamwork, they didn't win a single game and ended up last in their group.
So who will serenade their country with the sweet sounds of victory? It is almost a known fact that Xavi will be creating opportunities for his Spanish strikers and either Villa or Torres will cash in at least one of these opportunities but I believe that Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder will dominate their part of the field and also create their own chances for the Dutch strikers. Robben has already felt the distraught of losing a title game during this year's Champions League final and will be very determined not to feel that disappointment again. Also, look for Dirk Kuyt, a very talented Dutch striker who has been very quiet during this year's World Cup to have many opportunities to score with balls from Robben and Sneijder. The longer the Dutch can keep Spain's high-powered offense at bay, the more confidence they will have, which will also create more chances for the Dutch to counterattack and create some chances of their own. If Spain scores early, it will be hard to stop them but as the game stretches, the Dutch's chances of winning their first World Cup increases. It all comes down to this final matchup on Sunday and the trophy is there for the taking. Who will write history?
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