Spain Lift World Cup

A strike from Andres Iniesta in the 116th minute of the 2010 World Cup saw Spain lift the trophy for the very first time as they saw off Holland 1-0.

The Spaniards, who have widely been seen as the underachievers in world football, can now add the World Cup to the European title they won two years ago.

They became the first European side to win the World Cup when not playing in Europe and the first side to lift the cup after losing their opening group game, losing to Switzerland.

Vincente del Bosque kept Fernando Torres on the bench as Pedro kept his place in the starting line up for Holland Gregory van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong were back after suspension and they replaced Khalid Boulahrouz and Demy De Zeeuw.

Holland demonstrated how they were going to play when Robin Van Persie brought down Sergio Busquets in the opening minute as they consistently fowled their Spanish opponents and were lucky to lose just one man during the match.

But Spain started the more confident side as they controlled the game in the opening twenty minutes, Holland struggled to get any play at all, as Spain's passing game was once again on show.

And they could have taken the lead after just three minutes when David Villa broke free, but he was offside and that halted any ideas of a goal.

But Spain continued to press and Sergio Ramon forced a save from Stekelenburg before Xavi sent a free kick wide.

A second offence from van Persie saw him receive the first yellow card of the night as he brought down Capdevila. But the half hour mark referee Howard Webb had brandished the yellow card five times.

Mark van Bommel saw yellow for taking out Iniesta while Nigel de Jong was luck not to get his marching orders when he panted a foot studs up into the chest of Xabi Alonso.

Robben forced a save from Casillas just before half time but it was Spain who really had looked the side more likely to score but they were still locked together at 0-0 when Webb blew the half time whistle.

Into the second half and Holland did pick up their quality of play and the best chance fell to Robben from a Sneijder pass as he ran through the defence.

But Casillas got a foot to the shot as he hit the ground to send the ball wide and the danger was averted, Robben was denied by Casillas just minutes later as he stayed on his feet to shoot.

Spain's best goal scoring chance came in the seventy seventh minute when an unmarked Ramos connected with a corner just seven yards out.

But he couldn't control the header and sent it sailing over the bar. Cesc Fabregas joined the action in the eighty sixth minute, replacing Alonso, as extra time loomed.

Just three minutes into that extra time Spain had pleas for penalty turned down before Fabregas broke through, only to fire his shot straight at the keeper.

But in the nineteenth minute of extra time and Holland were down to ten men as Heitinga received a second yellow card for pulling Iniesta and he was given his marching orders, he became only the fifth man to sent off in a World Cup final.

It was the second half of extra time when Spain finally found a way through as a great pass from Fabregas set up Iniesta who sent the ball into the back of the net.

And Spain held onto that one goal lead to lift the World Cup for the very first time.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw