Spain crushes Italy 4-0 to repeat as European champions.  Spain went up 2-0 on two beautiful goals -- the lead-up play on both goals (Iniesta to Fabregas to Silva! Alba to Xavi to Alba!) was pure skill -- before Italy went down to ten men because of injury.  It's a shame, because even though Spain, up 2-0, was essentially certain to win the match, an eleven man Italy would have tried valiantly to attack.  The whole tournament, Prandelli had the Italians playing inspired, entertaining soccer.  But with ten men, down 2-0 to the Spanish, there was simply no hope of any comeback.   Late in the match, against exhausted Italian defenders, Torres and Mata scored the third and fourth goals. 

Iniesta and Pirlo were the best players in the tournment, clearly.   Given the final result, Iniesta (deservedly) won the official award.  The guy is simply unbelievable: he was born to control the ball.  It's his pet.

I'd like nothing more than the Spain team to rock on to 2014.  I cannot think of a better match, ever, than the Euro-World-Euro champions playing the Selecao, at home, in the WC 2014 final. 

FF

P.S. One final thought: Who was the last team to knock Spain out of a tournament? These scrappy motherf*ckers.