Congratulation for Spain !!.
They finally got the Euro 2008 Champion title for this year. After 44 long years - virtually as long as the trophy drought still afflicting England - Spain finally threw off their chains on Sunday in winning the European Championship, beating Germany with a Fernando Torres strike.
A final appearance in Euro 1984 had been the closest a football-obsessed country had come since - old political rivals and neighbours France proving too strong.
On that occasion their chief tormentor was Michel Platini - so it was appropriate that the man who is now president of UEFA should hand over the winners' medals.
"Forty four years later, we did it again! It's the best day of my life," as Cesc Fabregas put it as Spain finally hit the jackpot after numerous promising showings in lower age-group competitions.
Now it has belatedly moved the same way at international level, away from Italy, Germany and a France side who bested Spain in the second round of the last World Cup after the latter's typically fine start.
The sporting "black legend" began a long time before that, following a 1934 World Cup loss to be precise to, who else, the Italians.
In 1962, it seemed a team with the likes of Alfredo Di Stefano on board had to have a good chance of glory but the Real Madrid legend picked up an injury and another chance of glory went begging.
Then the 1964 Euros - when finally silverware arrived via a 2-1 win over the Soviet Union on home soil for a team coached by Jose Villalonga.
That win, until Sunday, was the exception which would prove the rule for 44 years - back to when grizzled current coach Luis Aragones was a sprightly 26-year-old.
(source: soccerway)
