World Cup Final: Netherlands vs Spain Live Streams and TV Channels

 Netherlands vs Spain Live Stream

Date : 11-07-2010

Game Start Time : 20:30

FIFA World Cup 2010 Final

Venue: Johannesburg

It all comes down to this match. Over 200 countries entered qualifying, 32 made it South Africa, and on July 11th, 2010, 2 remain. The 2010 World Cup Final will be the biggest, most watched match in sports. One team will become world champion, a title they will hold for four years. Will we see a final ruled by controversy, as we did in 2006? Will it be a cagey affair, or will we see a back and forth match like the one in 1986, when Argentina beat West Germany 3-2? Here are all of the important details on the World Cup final:

here: Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa

When: July 11, 2010 at 8:30pm local time (2:30pm EST)

Who: Netherlands vs. Spain

MATCH PREVIEW

The general consensus is that Spain has played the better football in this World Cup 2010, while the Netherlands has been more effective. Spain maintains possession and passes, passes, passes, which has so far been enough to dominate games and find just enough goals to win (except against Switzerland in the opening group game, which shows what can go wrong with Spain’s approach). The Netherlands has protected it’s weak(ish) back four with two defensive midfielders and a lot hard work from the full XI, while relying on their all star attacking talents (and a wee bit of luck) to win every single game they’ve played so far.

Let’s get player specific. Spain’s dominance revolves around Xavi and Anres Iniesta. Xavi is like a valve controlling the flow of the game, and if he doesn’t find a hole in your defence to pass through then Iniesta will. If the two combine at the top of the box then say good night. On the end of all this is David Villa, who has five World Cup goals so far. Villa has been his usual deadly self, but long term striker partner Fernando Torres has not, and one of the big questions for Spain is whether they start with Torres and Villa up front, or just Villa and a five man midfield.

The key players for the Netherlands have arguably been defensive midfield duo Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel. The latter can play a bit too, and also has an uncanny knack of tackling tough without getting booked. Not everyone enjoys seeing it, but that’s a skill right there. Further forward, attacking midfielder Wesley Sneijder hasn’t quite bossed games in the manner of Xavi, but has proven time and again that he’ll deliver when needed. Whether it’s a perfect pass to the ever dangerous Arjen Robben, a long range strike or even a header from a corner. Sneijder is your man, and he’s currently level with Villa on five World Cup goals.

KEY MATCHUPS

David Villa vs Johnny Heitinga/Joris Mathijsen

Whether Villa has a strike partner or not, the World Cup final could very well turn on how well the Ducth defenders handle him.

Xavi & Iniesta vs Nigel de Jong & Mark van Bommel

Essentially Spain’s creators vs the Dutch destroyers. Will Xavi be able to dictate the game with MvB in his face?

Wesley Sneijder vs Sergio Busquets

The tactics obsessed website Zonal Marking did a good job explaining Busquet’s expertise in the defensive midfield role in terms of positioning and spatial awareness. Remains to be seen whether that’s enough to close down the threat posed by Sneijder.

Arjen Robben vs Joan Capdevila

Spanish leftback Capdevila is not a bad footballer. But if you had to pick a weak link in this team, then he’s probably the name you’d circle. Robben is arguably the Netherland’s most dangerous player and certainly the most explosive. Best of luck Joan.

Robin van Persie vs Carles Puyol/Gerard Pique

RvP has struggled to impose himself on World Cup 2010, but has contributed just enough in the lone striker role to help teammates like Sneijder take the glory. Puyol and Pique have been monsters at the back and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see one or both of them eat RvP alive. if we’re talking literally then my money would be on Puyol.

FURTHER READING

Jan at the Netherlands blog has plenty to sink your eyes into, including Six Reasons Why Oranje Will Win the World Cup, and the collected thoughts of various players past and present.

Corey at the Spain blog has a well thought out World Cup final preview assessing the Dutch threat and pondering potential Spanish lineups.

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Tonight The Most Memorable Day of Netherlands & Spain

At the final whistle tomorrow evening one team will be suddenly celebrating its country’s greatest ever football moment – one which will culminate with confetti, a captain and a golden trophy. But the other team will be left clinging to the past: the recent run of getting to this World Cup final and the memories from years gone by.

These will be a start – and a little reminder to the casual fans of what these two nations have brought to the game throughout the years. One recent, one not quite; one glorious, another bittersweet. Their most memorable moments yet, in video compilation.

Oranje ‘74

The Dutch fans know this all too well: the perfect footballing machine, an imperfect result. We’ve gushed on this before, but it never seems to water down. The 1974 Netherlands World Cup team were footballing artists, bringing forth Total Football into total domination, a revolutionary system in which any player could play in any spot on the pitch. They were the toast of the 1974 World Cup, rolling into the final in West Germany against West Germany and mesmerizing the world with their second minute penalty – which they won with Germany yet to have touched the ball. Then, in the words of Johnny Rep: “We wanted to humiliate the Germans. It wasn’t something we’d thought about, but we did it. We started knocking the ball around – and we forgot to score a second.” Germany didn’t, and the Dutch lost. The first in a string of two final losses. Total, except for that one big piece.

Spain ‘08

They were almost an afterthought going into 2008 for many; a brilliant collection of football talent, but one which still suffered from The Curse. From the opening whistle, they were the best team in the tournament and simply never looked back, curse or not. With decades gone since their first European Championships victory, they not only won the tournament, but set about creating a new identity for Spain: winners. Not just a trophy holder, but proper winners – a team which believed in itself and struck fear in its opponents. Finally they had the mental edge to do something outlandish. Something like get to their first ever World Cup final two years later.

The chokers no more. Very few single trophies have set about evolving both the perception and reality of a nation’s football so much, but Euro 2008 did just that.

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Netherland move to Finals after 32 years

This is the first time in 32 years that Netherlands has entered into the World Cup finals. It was an inevitable win against Uruguay whom they literally thrashed with a 3-2 win. It was Sneijder’s day as he scored his 5th World Cup goal and the other scores of the team included Giovannin, as well as Robben.

It was definitely a tough fight, but the Dutch seemed to have overcome all matters that were complicated to move on to the finals. Sneijder said “It was a tough fight and towards the end we complicated matters. Sunday we play in the World Cup finals. I have to get used to it.”

In the 18th minute of the game against Uruguay Van Bronckhorst scored the first goal for his team with a 35 meter yard shot. However Uruguay wasn’t to give up so early and the first equalizer was scored by Forlan who was still sore from his thigh injury.

The Dutch then got into attacking mode after half time and then the other two goals were scored by Sneijder and Robben. Although Uruguay scored in the injury time, it was not good enough to help them win. They finally succumbed to the Dutch aggressive which completely put them under pressure.

After their win the Dutch team then got back to the field and celebrated with a lot of cheer and dance along with around 1000 oranje clad fans who cheered them up further more with a lot of beating of the drums. The chanting was rhythmic and a complete celebration especially when the fans kept up their teams spirit by shouting out loud “Holland! Holland! Holland!”

The Dutch can’t seem to get over the fact that they have won the game and proceeded to the finals. According to Robben, “Unbelievable, if you win the final, you make yourself immortal, at least in our country.”

The Dutch will now be meeting the skillful Spanish players in the finals that take place on Sunday.. The World Cup has almost come to an end, and it has been quiet an eventful one, with a lot of frustration, ups and downs, cheer and YES EMOTIONS!

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