Post by cooKey on Jun 30, 2008 10:27:18 GMT
VIENNA, Austria (CNN) -- Joyous Spanish fans partied hard into the early hours Monday morning after their side defeated Germany 1-0 to claim their first major football title in 44 years.
Fernando Torres celebrates after giving Spain the lead on 33 minutes.
Fernando Torres celebrates after giving Spain the lead on 33 minutes.
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Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the European Championship final in Vienna Sunday, sliding the ball past German keeper Jens Lehmann after 33 minutes as the Spaniards took a grip on the match which they never let slip.
Germany started the second half strongly as they went in search of an equalizer with German captain Michael Ballack firing a shot narrowly wide on 58 minutes, but they could not break Spain's defense.
Spanish fans in Austria and back home went wild on the final whistle, with fireworks being left off and the sound of car horns filling the air in Madrid. Read the full match report
Firefighters had to douse the celebrating crowds with water as the temperature neared 30 degrees Celsius in Madrid after the final whistle, The Associated Press reported.
Similar jubilant scenes played out across Spain, with King Juan Carlos summing up all Spanish football fans' patient wait for a major tournament win, AP reported. Video Watch Spain erupt into a huge fiesta »
"We suffered, but in the end, it was worth the pain," he said.
News agency Efe reported that 25 people were hospitalized in the Spanish capital, with one person in critical condition with head injuries. In all, emergency services treated 120 people.
Striker David Villa, the tournament's leading scorer with four goals, told the watching crowds to prepare for Monday, when the team will arrive in Madrid to show off the trophy. The team is expected to arrive at Madrid Barajas airport at 7pm local time (1700 GMT), AP reported.
Football fans had been gathering all day in Vienna with around 70,000 watching the eagerly anticipated match on giant screens in the Fanzone area in the center of the city in addition to a 50,000 capacity crowd at the Ernst Happel Stadium.
"The Spanish section of the crowd erupted with joy at the final whistle," CNN's Pedro Pinto said. Video Watch why this win by Spain is significant »
Pinto said Spain had deserved their victory: "Spain are worthy champions -- they played better and scored more goals throughout the tournament."
Large crowds had also gathered in public squares in Berlin, Madrid and other German and Spanish cities to watch the match. CNN's Al Goodman said scenes of pandemonium had erupted in the Spanish capital at the end of the game.
The three-week Euro 2008 tournament in Austria and Switzerland had already delivered plenty of drama, excitement and hugely entertaining football, raising expectations that the title showdown would serve up a suitably thrilling finale. Video Watch CNN's Pedro Pinto sum up the tournament's highlights »
The match also offered an intriguing contest between two football-obsessed nations with contrasting records of success.
Germany were chasing a record fourth European Championship title to go with those they won in 1996, 1980 and 1972. With three World Cups to their name as well, the German national side have a reputation as pragmatic and perennial challengers for major honors, most recently reaching the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup. Video Watch excitement turn to disappointment in Germany »
Don't Miss
* Torres strike gives Spain final victory
* Football Fan Zone
* iReport.com: Send your Euro 2008 photos, videos
The Spanish, by contrast, had long been considered the sport's biggest underachievers. Home to two of the world's greatest clubs in Real Madrid and Barcelona and one of Europe's strongest leagues, it had been 24 years since Spain last reached a major final, losing to France in the 1984 European Championships.
The country's sole previous international success came in the same competition as hosts in 1964 and the current squad's run to the final had captured the nation's imagination, Goodman said.
After winning all three matches impressively in the group stages, Luis Aragones' side beat world champions Italy on penalties in the quarterfinals and produced a performance of stylish swagger to overcome Russia 3-0 in the semis.
Spanish midfielder Xavi was named player of Euro 2008 by UEFA on Monday.
The 28-year-old Barcelona player scored once in the tournament and created the winning goal for Fernando Torres in the final.
He was chosen by nine coaches in UEFA's panel of technical experts and the selection also took account of fans voting online.
"It was him (Xavi) who gave the team its tempo," said UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh.
UEFA's Euro 2008 squad was:
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Edwin van der Sar (Holland).
Defenders: Bosingwa (Portugal), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Carlos Marchena (Spain), Pepe (Portugal), Carles Puyol (Spain), Yuri Zhirkov (Russia).
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Midfielders: Hamit Altintop (Turkey), Luka Modric (Croatia), Marcos Senna (Spain), Xavi (Spain), Konstantin Zyryanov (Russia), Michael Ballack (Germany), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Lukas Podolski (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Holland).
...howcome no one had started this thread?
anyway.. just wanna congratulate spain for winning! 
HELL YEAH ITS ABOUT d**n TIME! 
;D
Fernando Torres celebrates after giving Spain the lead on 33 minutes.
Fernando Torres celebrates after giving Spain the lead on 33 minutes.
Click to view previous image
1 of 3
Click to view next image
more photos »
Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the European Championship final in Vienna Sunday, sliding the ball past German keeper Jens Lehmann after 33 minutes as the Spaniards took a grip on the match which they never let slip.
Germany started the second half strongly as they went in search of an equalizer with German captain Michael Ballack firing a shot narrowly wide on 58 minutes, but they could not break Spain's defense.
Spanish fans in Austria and back home went wild on the final whistle, with fireworks being left off and the sound of car horns filling the air in Madrid. Read the full match report
Firefighters had to douse the celebrating crowds with water as the temperature neared 30 degrees Celsius in Madrid after the final whistle, The Associated Press reported.
Similar jubilant scenes played out across Spain, with King Juan Carlos summing up all Spanish football fans' patient wait for a major tournament win, AP reported. Video Watch Spain erupt into a huge fiesta »
"We suffered, but in the end, it was worth the pain," he said.
News agency Efe reported that 25 people were hospitalized in the Spanish capital, with one person in critical condition with head injuries. In all, emergency services treated 120 people.
Striker David Villa, the tournament's leading scorer with four goals, told the watching crowds to prepare for Monday, when the team will arrive in Madrid to show off the trophy. The team is expected to arrive at Madrid Barajas airport at 7pm local time (1700 GMT), AP reported.
Football fans had been gathering all day in Vienna with around 70,000 watching the eagerly anticipated match on giant screens in the Fanzone area in the center of the city in addition to a 50,000 capacity crowd at the Ernst Happel Stadium.
"The Spanish section of the crowd erupted with joy at the final whistle," CNN's Pedro Pinto said. Video Watch why this win by Spain is significant »
Pinto said Spain had deserved their victory: "Spain are worthy champions -- they played better and scored more goals throughout the tournament."
Large crowds had also gathered in public squares in Berlin, Madrid and other German and Spanish cities to watch the match. CNN's Al Goodman said scenes of pandemonium had erupted in the Spanish capital at the end of the game.
The three-week Euro 2008 tournament in Austria and Switzerland had already delivered plenty of drama, excitement and hugely entertaining football, raising expectations that the title showdown would serve up a suitably thrilling finale. Video Watch CNN's Pedro Pinto sum up the tournament's highlights »
The match also offered an intriguing contest between two football-obsessed nations with contrasting records of success.
Germany were chasing a record fourth European Championship title to go with those they won in 1996, 1980 and 1972. With three World Cups to their name as well, the German national side have a reputation as pragmatic and perennial challengers for major honors, most recently reaching the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup. Video Watch excitement turn to disappointment in Germany »
Don't Miss
* Torres strike gives Spain final victory
* Football Fan Zone
* iReport.com: Send your Euro 2008 photos, videos
The Spanish, by contrast, had long been considered the sport's biggest underachievers. Home to two of the world's greatest clubs in Real Madrid and Barcelona and one of Europe's strongest leagues, it had been 24 years since Spain last reached a major final, losing to France in the 1984 European Championships.
The country's sole previous international success came in the same competition as hosts in 1964 and the current squad's run to the final had captured the nation's imagination, Goodman said.
After winning all three matches impressively in the group stages, Luis Aragones' side beat world champions Italy on penalties in the quarterfinals and produced a performance of stylish swagger to overcome Russia 3-0 in the semis.
Spanish midfielder Xavi was named player of Euro 2008 by UEFA on Monday.
The 28-year-old Barcelona player scored once in the tournament and created the winning goal for Fernando Torres in the final.
He was chosen by nine coaches in UEFA's panel of technical experts and the selection also took account of fans voting online.
"It was him (Xavi) who gave the team its tempo," said UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh.
UEFA's Euro 2008 squad was:
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Edwin van der Sar (Holland).
Defenders: Bosingwa (Portugal), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Carlos Marchena (Spain), Pepe (Portugal), Carles Puyol (Spain), Yuri Zhirkov (Russia).
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Midfielders: Hamit Altintop (Turkey), Luka Modric (Croatia), Marcos Senna (Spain), Xavi (Spain), Konstantin Zyryanov (Russia), Michael Ballack (Germany), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Lukas Podolski (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Holland).
...howcome no one had started this thread?
anyway.. just wanna congratulate spain for winning! 
HELL YEAH ITS ABOUT d**n TIME! 
;D 
/ finally GOD!!! Felicidades Espana!!
