Mixed Messages: World Cup final reactions
Greg Lalas, editor in chief
From a tournament wrought with poor refereeing and dramatic endings, should we have expected anything other than what we got? Spain were clearly the better team and, based on their entire body of work in South Africa, they deserved to win. They showed incredible discipline, work rate and, at times, panache. They improved as the tournament went on and their defense quietly matched that of the Italian team that won the 2006 World Cup, conceding just two goals the entire way. So why, at the final whistle, did I feel sorry for the Dutch? Because they went toe to toe with a superior team, something that will always have a place in my heart.
Jonah Freedman, managing editor
Let's be frank: This was an ugly, ugly final – any game with a record 14 bookings usually is. Spain weren't as compact as they usually tend to be, while the Netherlands tried as best they could to out-muscle them. In fact, for a good stretch of the game, it looked as if the Oranje had finally found the solution to disrupting Spain's pass-happy, flowing style: Beat the crap out of them. The match itself will be remembered for the yellow cards, the near-misses and, in stretches, sloppy play. But though the soccer may not have been pretty, the end result was: Spain are a deserving champion and, finally, jogo bonito has paid off at the World Cup.
Fidencio Enriquez, new media editor
Spain didn’t exactly start the World Cup off on the right foot and they probably went down the list as the favorite to win the Cup after their opening loss, while the entire opposite can be said for a Dutch team that won every match except for the final. Though the flair and control that the Spaniards showed throughout their dominance in the last couple of years wasn’t entirely there, what they did show was the grit and determination characteristic of a champion. In honor of you, Furia Roja, I will wear my Spain jersey tonight, eat a bowl of paella and down it with some sangría.
Jaime Uribarri, FútbolMLS editor
Every fan, not just those in Spain, should celebrate this result for what it is: a victory for soccer. Unlike the last World Cup, we can truly say that the best team is the champion, that the trophy ended up in the most deserving hands, that playing to win will get you further than playing not to lose. Call it “total football,” “tiqui-taca,” call it whatever you want to call it, Spain play the game in its purest essence: control the ball, attack non-stop and score more goals than your opponent. As simple as it sounds, not too many teams share this philosophy nowadays, and that is why Spain's triumph is a triumph for the sport.
Jason Saghini, ExtraTime Radio
A lot of people are complaining about the game (that’s you ESPN analysts). But really, it’s a World Cup final. There is so much on the line, so many people watching, such immense pressure. Just let them play while you sit back, watch and enjoy. There was plenty to get excited about in that game and a deserving team held the trophy high when all was said and done. I can’t wait to do it all again in 2014!
