Spain is the EURO 2008 Champion ; Torres made it possible with the golden goal at the 33rd minute in 1st half

Spain ended 44 years of major tournament pain and underachievement with a 1-0 win over Germany to claim the Euro 2008 title in Vienna this morning. A sharply taken goal from big match player Fernando Torres was enough to banish Spain's unwanted tag of football's perennial underachievers to the history books. The Liverpool striker wrestled his way past German left back Philipp Lahm to meet a fine through ball from Xavi before cleverly clipping the ball over keeper Jens Lehmann and into the net 12 minutes before half-time. Germany tried valiantly to produce an equaliser to match their success in Euro 1996 but failed to engineer a clear cut attempt on goal while Spain consistently pressured its opponents down the other end.
The victory gives Spain its first major trophy since victory at the 1964 European Championships and completes an undefeated run in Austria and Switzerland. For 69-year-old Spanish coach Luis Aragones there was a tinge of bitterness mixed with the moment of glory. "We did things well, we won, period. I will not be staying on as coach because I have been given no possibility to," said Aragones. For Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas it was a dream come true. "This is great," said the 21-year-old Arsenal star. "This is the best day of my life as a player. "I don't think we are conscious yet of what we have achieved....44 years later. "We were trying to create chances and play beautiful football and we have at last had the success we deserved. "I don't know why it has taken this long and I don't want to think about that anymore as we have achieved it and we are a young team and will fight for the World Cup in two years time." For Torres too it was a dream realised.
"For me, it's a dream come true," said Torres. "Victory in a Euro, is almost as big as a World Cup. I think that we have played very good football throughout the tournament and it was justice done when we won the final."
They seemed to start tentatively and a mistake from Sergio Ramos gave Miroslav Klose a glorious opportunity after just four minutes, but after taking the ball past Carles Puyol his next touch was too strong and he ran the ball out of play. Spain gradually started to settle and just before the quarter-hour mark Lehmann came to Germany's rescue as a cross from Andres Iniesta deflected off Christoph Metzelder's boot and only a stunning reaction save from the Arsenal stopper prevented a goal. On 23 minutes Sergio Ramos cut in from the right and crossed to the back post where Torres climbed above the considerably taller Per Mertersacker; his downward header beat Lehmann but unfortunately for Spain not the base of the post.
Up the other end Spain's slightly suspect defence was struggling to cope with the direct running of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski but Germany created little. Following Torres' piece of brilliance to open the scoring, Spain were suddenly rampant and were brimming with confidence at the start of the second period. Germany coach Joachim Loew responded by sending on a second forward in Kevin Kuranyi to replace midfielder Hitzlsperger.
That immediately shifted the momentum of the game and on the hour a mistake from Puyol was almost punished as Ballack fired just wide; moments later Casillas came storming out of goal to take a cross from Ballack off Kuranyi's head. Spain remained dangerous and Sergio Ramos forced Lehmann into a fine block with a powerful header from a Xavi free-kick before Torsten Frings cleared a shot from Iniesta off the line. Brazil-born Marcos Senna came within inches of settling the game in the final 10 minutes but he could not quite stretch his leg out far enough to meet substitute Daniel Guiza's downward header with the goal at his mercy. German coach Joachim Loew professed his admiration for his side, who defied expectations to reach the final. "I have to compliment the team for what they have achieved over the past few weeks," said the 48-year-old.
"It has been fantastic. The players are obviously disappointed, but they have every reason to hold their heads up high." For German captain Michael Ballack it was more disappointment in a major tournament. "It is very sad to lose when one has come such a long way," said the 31-year-old, who missed the 2002 World Cup final because he was suspended and has also lost two Champions League finals. "All the team battled away. This tournament has come at the end of the season and physically it has been tough. However, today (Sunday) we have made too many errors."

Golden Boot - David Villa (4 Goals)

Man of the Match - Torres 33' Goal