View source for 2010 FIFA World Cup final

{{good article}}
{{short description|World Cup final, held in South Africa}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox football match
| title              = 2010 FIFA World Cup final
| image              = FIFA World Cup 2010 Uruguay Ghana.jpg
| caption            = The final was played at Johannesburg's [[FNB Stadium|Soccer City]]
| event              = [[2010 FIFA World Cup]]
| team1              = [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]]
| team1association   = {{flagdeco|NED|size=30px}}
| team1score         = 0
| team2              = [[Spain national football team|Spain]]
| team2association   = {{flagdeco|ESP|size=30px}}
| team2score         = 1
| details            = After [[Overtime (sports)#Association football|extra time]]
| date               = 11 July 2010
| stadium            = [[FNB Stadium|Soccer City]]
| city               = [[Johannesburg]]
| man_of_the_match1a = [[Andrés Iniesta]] (Spain)
| referee            = [[Howard Webb]] ([[The Football Association|England]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/08/howard-webb-referee-world-cup-final1|title=England's Howard Webb to referee World Cup final}}</ref>
| attendance         = 84,490
| weather            = Partly cloudy night<br />{{convert|14|°C|°F}}<br />34% [[humidity]]
| previous           = [[2006 FIFA World Cup final|2006]]
| next               = [[2014 FIFA World Cup final|2014]]
}}
The '''2010 FIFA World Cup final''' was the final match of the [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010 World Cup]], the 19th edition of [[FIFA]]'s competition for national [[association football|football]] teams. The match was played at [[FNB Stadium|Soccer City]] in [[Johannesburg]], South Africa, on 11 July 2010, and was contested by the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] and [[Spain national football team|Spain]]. The event comprised hosts [[South Africa national football team|South Africa]] and 31 other teams who emerged from [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification|the qualification phase]], organised by the six [[List of football federations#FIFA Confederations|FIFA confederations]]. The 32 teams competed in a group stage, from which 16 teams qualified for [[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage|the knockout stage]]. En route to the final, the Netherlands finished first in [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|Group E]], with three wins, after which they defeated [[Slovakia national football team|Slovakia]] in the round of 16, [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] in the quarter-final and [[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay]] in the semi-final. Spain finished top of [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|Group H]] with two wins and one loss, before defeating [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]] in the round of 16, [[Paraguay national football team|Paraguay]] in the quarter-final and [[Germany national football team|Germany]] in the semi-final. The final took place in front of 84,490 supporters, with more than 909&nbsp;million watching on television, and was [[Referee (association football)|refereed]] by [[Howard Webb]] from England.

[[Sergio Ramos]] had a chance to score for Spain early in the first half when his shot was saved by Netherlands [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] [[Maarten Stekelenburg]], while [[Arjen Robben]] had a chance for the Netherlands when he hit a low shot from the edge of the [[penalty area]] shortly before [[half-time]], which was saved by [[Iker Casillas]]. There were numerous [[Penalty card#Yellow card|booking]]s throughout the first half, which [[BBC Sport]]'s Paul Fletcher wrote had "disturbed the rhythm of the match". Robben missed an opportunity in the 62nd minute when he was [[Glossary of association football terms#O|one-on-one]] with Casillas, with the goalkeeper able to intercept his attempted shot with the toe of his boot to prevent the goal. [[David Villa]] then had a chance for Spain {{convert|4|yards|m|sigfig=1}} from the Netherlands goal, but Stekelenburg saved his shot. Ramos missed a [[Header (association football)|header]] in front of goal on 77 minutes, sending the ball over the crossbar. With the match goalless after 90 minutes, it went to [[Overtime (sports)|extra time]]. [[John Heitinga]] received a second booking during extra time, which resulted in him being [[Penalty card#Red card|sent off]], and four minutes before the end, [[Andrés Iniesta]] gave Spain the lead, and the title, with a powerful right footer onto a short pass from Fabregas, into the left corner of the goal to secure a 1–0 win.

Spain's win was their [[List of FIFA World Cup finals|first World Cup title]], as well as the first World Cup win by a European team outside Europe. Iniesta was named the [[Player of the match|man of the match]], while Casillas was awarded the [[FIFA World Cup awards#Golden Glove|Golden Glove]] as FIFA's outstanding goalkeeper of the tournament. Spain went on to win [[UEFA Euro 2012]] for their third successive trophy, but failed to defend the World Cup at [[2014 FIFA World Cup|the 2014 tournament]] in Brazil, becoming the second successive World Cup holders [[2014 FIFA World Cup Group B|to be eliminated in the group phase]] after defeats against the Netherlands and [[Chile national football team|Chile]].

==Background==
[[File:Jo'bulani.jpg|thumb|right|An example of the Adidas Jo'bulani ball used in the match]]
The [[2010 FIFA World Cup]] was the 19th edition of the [[FIFA World Cup]], [[FIFA]]'s football competition for national teams, held between 11 June and 11 July 2010 in South Africa.<ref name="Britanica">{{Cite web |url-status=live |title=World Cup: History & Winners |last1=Tikkanen |first1=Amy |last2=Augustyn |first2=Adam |last3=Levy |first3=Michael |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828023709/https://www.britannica.com/sports/World-Cup-football |archive-date=28 August 2021 |last4=Ray |first4=Michael |last5=Luebering |first5=J. E. |last6=Lotha |first6=Gloria |last7=Young |first7=Grace |last8=Shepherd |first8=Melinda C. |last9=Sinha |first9=Surabhi |last10=Rodriguez |first10=Emily |work=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |date=19 August 2021 |access-date=22 September 2021 |url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/World-Cup-football }}</ref><ref name="RSSSF_summary">{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2010 |last=Stokkermans |first=Karel |date=5 July 2018 |access-date=22 September 2021 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/2010f.html |archive-date=19 October 2018 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019014641/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/2010f.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[South Africa national soccer team|South Africa]] qualified for the finals automatically as tournament hosts, while 205 teams competed for the remaining 31 spots through [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying|qualifying rounds]] organised by the six [[List of football federations#FIFA Confederations|FIFA confederations]] and held between August 2007 and November 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |title=England's World Cup History by the Numbers |last=Peltier |first=Jamie |publisher=[[Bleacher Report]] |date=10 February 2011 |access-date=4 October 2021 |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/603867-englands-world-cup-history-by-the-numbers |archive-date=4 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004164335/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/603867-englands-world-cup-history-by-the-numbers |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="RSSSF_Qual">{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2010 Qualifying |last1=King |first1=Ian |last2=Lugo |first2=Erik Francisco |last3=Stokkermans |first3=Karel |last4=Zlotkowski |first4=Andre |date=12 Sep 2013 |access-date=22 September 2021 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/2010q.html |archive-date=8 July 2016 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708145326/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/2010q.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In the finals, the teams were divided into eight groups of four with each team playing each other once. The two top teams from each group advanced to a [[Single-elimination tournament|knock-out phase]].<ref name="RSSSF_summary"/> The defending champions from the [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006 World Cup]] were [[Italy national football team|Italy]].<ref name="Britanica"/>

The match ball for the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, revealed on 20 April 2010, was the Jo'bulani, a gold version of the [[Adidas Jabulani]] ball used for every other match in the tournament.<ref name="jobulani">{{cite news|title=Glittering golden ball for Final |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1196426/ |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=20 April 2010 |access-date=9 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100714134114/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid%3D1196426/ |archive-date=14 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The name of the ball is a reference to "Jo'burg", a common nickname for [[Johannesburg]], the match venue.<ref name="jobulani"/> The gold colouring of the ball mirrors the colour of the [[FIFA World Cup Trophy]] and also echoes another of Johannesburg's nicknames: "the City of Gold".<ref name="jobulani"/> The Jo'bulani became the second ball to be specifically produced for the FIFA World Cup final, after the [[Adidas Teamgeist|Teamgeist Berlin]] was used for the [[2006 FIFA World Cup final|2006 final]].<ref name="jobulani"/>

The 2010 final was the first time since [[1978 FIFA World Cup final|1978]] that neither of the finalists had previously won the World Cup. The [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] had been runners-up twice before, losing 2–1 to [[Germany national football team|West Germany]] in [[1974 FIFA World Cup final|1974]], and 3–1 (after extra time) to [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] in 1978.<ref name="Britanica"/> Reaching the 2010 final was [[Spain national football team|Spain]]'s best performance in the World Cup, their having previously finished fourth in [[1950 FIFA World Cup|1950]] when the tournament had a [[Round-robin tournament|round-robin]] final stage, and having reached the quarter-final stage in [[1934 FIFA World Cup|1934]], [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986]], [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]] and [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]], when single-elimination knock-out stages featured.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Cup 1950 |last1=Stokkermans |first1=Karel |last2=Jarreta |first2=Sergio Henrique |date=5 July 2017 |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/50f.html |archive-date=6 May 2021 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506121643/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/50f.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Soccer: Spain World Cup factbox |publisher=[[Reuters]] |date=21 May 2018 |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/soccer-worldcup-esp-factbox-idINKCN1IM1IR |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075356/https://www.reuters.com/article/soccer-worldcup-esp-factbox-idINKCN1IM1IR |url-status=live }}</ref> Spain were the reigning European champions, having won [[UEFA Euro 2008]], a tournament in which the Netherlands reached the quarter-final before being eliminated by [[Russia national football team|Russia]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/08e.html |access-date=22 July 2021 |title=European Championship 2008 |date=14 March 2013 |first=Marcel |last=Haisma |archive-date=18 April 2018 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418141420/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/08e.html |url-status=live }}</ref> This was the first meeting between the two teams in the main tournament stages of either a World Cup or a [[UEFA European Championship|European Championship]]. In all-time head-to-head results, the teams had met nine times previously since 1920, with the Netherlands winning four games to Spain's three and one draw, all in either friendlies or European Championship qualifying games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Netherlands national football team: record v Spain |work=11v11 |publisher=[[Association of Football Statisticians|AFS Enterprises]] |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.11v11.com/teams/netherlands/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Spain/ |archive-date=27 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727064418/https://www.11v11.com/teams/netherlands/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Spain/ |url-status=live }}</ref> At the start of the tournament, Spain were ranked second in the [[FIFA World Rankings]], behind Brazil, while the Netherlands were ranked fourth.<ref name="Rankings26May2010">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men?dateId=id9276 |title=Men's Ranking, 26 May 2010 |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=26 May 2010 |access-date=13 October 2021 |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075419/https://platform.twitter.com/widgets/widget_iframe.58065ae230495f5d9e4b6a916472b2c1.html?origin=https%3A%2F%2Frp.liu233w.com%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fwww.fifa.com |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Route to the final==
===The Netherlands===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;float:right;clear:right;min-width:226px"
|+ The Netherlands' route to the final
|-
!scope="col"|
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Result
|- style="border-top:2px solid black"
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|{{abbr|1|First group match}}
|align="left"|[[Denmark national football team|Denmark]]
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E#Netherlands vs Denmark|2–0]]
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|{{abbr|2|Second group match}}
|align="left"|[[Japan national football team|Japan]]
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E#Netherlands vs Japan|1–0]]
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|{{abbr|3|Third group match}}
|align="left"|[[Cameroon national football team|Cameroon]]
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E#Cameroon vs Netherlands|2–1]]
|- style="border-top:2px solid black"
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|{{abbr|R16|Round of 16}}
|align="left"|[[Slovakia national football team|Slovakia]]
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Netherlands vs Slovakia|2–1]]
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|{{abbr|QF|Quarter-final}}
|align="left"|[[Brazil national football team|Brazil]]
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Netherlands vs Brazil|2–1]]
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|{{abbr|SF|Semi-final}}
|align="left"|[[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay]]
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Uruguay vs Netherlands|3–2]]
|}
The Netherlands entered the World Cup having won all eight matches in [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 9|their qualifying campaign]].<ref name="RSSSF_Qual"/> They were then drawn in [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group E|Group E]] for the World Cup, in which they were joined by [[Cameroon national football team|Cameroon]], [[Denmark national football team|Denmark]] and [[Japan national football team|Japan]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Group E: Cameroon, Denmark, Japan, Netherlands |last=Corrigan |first=James |work=[[The Independent]] |date=23 October 2011 |access-date=4 October 2021 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/group-e-cameroon-denmark-japan-netherlands-1993992.html |archive-date=4 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004200611/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/group-e-cameroon-denmark-japan-netherlands-1993992.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Their first match was against Denmark at [[FNB Stadium|Soccer City]], on 14 June 2010.<ref name="GuardianNetherlandsDenmark">{{Cite web |title=Holland 2–0 Denmark |last=Wilson |first=Paul |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=14 June 2010 |access-date=4 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/14/holland-denmark-world-cup |archive-date=4 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004200558/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/14/holland-denmark-world-cup |url-status=live }}</ref> The Netherlands took the lead shortly after [[half-time]] when Denmark's [[Simon Poulsen]] cleared a [[Cross (association football)|cross]] from [[Robin van Persie]], but it struck the back of [[Daniel Agger]] and deflected in for an [[own goal]].<ref name="BBCNetherlandsDenmark">{{Cite web |title=Netherlands 2–0 Denmark |last=Stevenson |first=Jonathan |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=14 June 2010 |access-date=4 October 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_09/default.stm |archive-date=4 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304150831/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_09/default.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Dirk Kuyt]] added a second five minutes before the end to complete a 2–0 win, scoring on the rebound after [[Thomas Sørensen]], the Danish [[goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]], had saved [[Eljero Elia]]'s shot on to the goalpost.<ref name="GuardianNetherlandsDenmark" /><ref name="BBCNetherlandsDenmark" /> The Netherlands faced Japan in their second game, on 19 June at the [[Moses Mabhida Stadium]] in [[Durban]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2010: Holland v Japan – as it happened |last=Burnton |first=Simon |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=19 June 2010 |access-date=4 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/19/world-cup-2010-holland-japan |archive-date=4 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004201732/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/19/world-cup-2010-holland-japan |url-status=live }}</ref> As in the first game, they scored the opening goal shortly after half-time when [[Wesley Sneijder]] received the ball on the edge of the [[penalty area]], following an attempted clearance by Japan, and struck the ball into the goal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2010: Netherlands 1–0 Japan: Wesley Sneijder strike puts Dutch in commanding position in Group E |last=Coerts |first=Stefan |website=[[Goal (website)|Goal]] |date=19 June 2010 |access-date=4 October 2021 |url=https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2890/world-cup-2010/2010/06/19/1984616/world-cup-2010-netherlands-1-0-japan-wesley-sneijder-strike-puts- |archive-date=4 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004201732/https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2890/world-cup-2010/2010/06/19/1984616/world-cup-2010-netherlands-1-0-japan-wesley-sneijder-strike-puts- |url-status=live }}</ref> The win, alongside Denmark's victory over Cameroon, meant that the Netherlands had qualified for the next round before playing their final group game.<ref name="GuardianTaylorNetherlandsJapan">{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Daniel |title=Holland 1–0 Japan |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=21 June 2010 |access-date=4 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/21/holland-japan-world-cup-match-report |archive-date=4 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004201734/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/21/holland-japan-world-cup-match-report |url-status=live }}</ref> That game was against Cameroon, on 24 June at [[Cape Town Stadium]]. Van Persie gave them the lead on 36 minutes,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cameroon vs Netherlands. FIFA World Cup Group E |publisher=[[Sky Sports]] |date=24 June 2010 |access-date=4 October 2021 |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/cameroon-vs-netherlands/teams/211312 |archive-date=4 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004204744/https://www.skysports.com/football/cameroon-vs-netherlands/teams/211312 |url-status=live }}</ref> before [[Samuel Eto'o]] equalised with a [[Penalty kick (association football)|penalty]] after [[Rafael van der Vaart]] was penalised for a [[Glossary of association football terms#H|handball]] in the penalty area. Klaas Jan Huntelaar scored a late goal, however, to seal a 2–1 win and first place in the group.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cameroon 1–2 Netherlands |last=Bevan |first=Chris |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=24 June 2010 |access-date=4 October 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_44/default.stm |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075357/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_44/default.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Netherlands' round-of-16 game was against [[Slovakia national football team|Slovakia]], who had beaten Italy in their final group game, at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on 28 June. [[Arjen Robben]] started his first game of the tournament after recovering from an injury, and he gave the Netherlands the lead in the 18th minute when he received a long pass upfield by Sneijder and scored with a low shot past goalkeeper [[Ján Mucha]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2010: Arjen Robben steers Holland past limp Slovakia |last=Taylor |first=Daniel |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=28 June 2010 |access-date=6 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/28/holland-slovakia-world-cup-2010-match-report |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006102600/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/28/holland-slovakia-world-cup-2010-match-report |url-status=live }}</ref> Sneijder then added a second in the 84th minute before Slovakia scored a penalty in the final minute of [[injury time]], giving a final score of 2–1 to the Netherlands.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Netherlands 2–1 Slovakia |last=Dawkes |first=Phil |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=28 June 2010 |access-date=6 October 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_53/default.stm |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075359/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_53/default.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> In the quarter-final, the Netherlands faced five-times world champions [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]], on 2 July at the [[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium]] in [[Port Elizabeth]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brazil, a World Cup Favorite, Is Sent Home |last=Longman |first=Jeré |work=[[The New York Times]] |url-access=registration |date=2 July 2010 |access-date=6 October 2021 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/03/sports/soccer/03brazilgame.html |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006102600/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/03/sports/soccer/03brazilgame.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Brazil took the lead in the 10th minute, when [[Robinho]] latched on to a deep pass from [[Felipe Melo]] and scored.<ref name="BBCNedBra">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_57/default.stm |title=Netherlands 2–1 Brazil |last=Bevan |first=Chris |date=2 July 2010 |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |access-date=2 July 2010 |archive-date=1 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701190212/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_57/default.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="FoxNedBra">{{cite news|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27355567-5019291,00.html|title=The Netherlands upset Brazil 2–1 in FIFA World Cup quarter-final, South Africa|last=MacKinnon|first=Angus|date=3 July 2010|publisher=[[Fox Sports (Australia)|Fox Sports]]|access-date=2 July 2010|archive-date=14 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075404/https://www.foxsports.com.au/akam/11/pixel_6215eccf|url-status=live}}</ref> Goalkeeper [[Maarten Stekelenburg]] had to make several saves to prevent Brazil extending their lead. The Netherlands equalised eight minutes after half-time, the goal being initially recorded as an own goal by Melo but later credited to Sneijder.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1266860/index.html |title=Sneijder credited with first goal in Dutch quarter-final victory |date=3 July 2010 |publisher=[[FIFA]] |access-date=3 July 2010 |archive-date=16 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216115834/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1266860/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-03/sneijder-moves-into-tie-for-goal-scoring-lead-after-fifa-changes-credit.html |title=Sneijder Moves Into Tie for Goal-Scoring Lead After FIFA Changes Credit |last=Bensch |first=Bob |date=3 July 2010 |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.]] |access-date=9 July 2010 |archive-date=11 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911035816/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-03/sneijder-moves-into-tie-for-goal-scoring-lead-after-fifa-changes-credit.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Netherlands then took the lead from a Robben corner kick in the 68th minute, Sneijder heading the ball in after a flick-on from Kuyt. Melo was [[Penalty card#Red card|sent off]] for a stamp on Robben, and the Netherlands went on to complete a 2–1 win.<ref name="BBCNedBra"/> Their semi-final was against [[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay]] at Cape Town Stadium on 6 July.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Form and head-to-head stats – Uruguay vs Netherlands |publisher=[[Sky Sports]] |date=6 July 2010 |access-date=6 October 2021 |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/uruguay-vs-netherlands/stats/220750 |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006110801/https://www.skysports.com/football/uruguay-vs-netherlands/stats/220750 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Giovanni van Bronckhorst]] gave the Netherlands the lead on 18 minutes with a shot which deflected in off the goalpost, before [[Diego Forlán]] equalised from long-range for Uruguay shortly before half-time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Netherlands beat Uruguay 3–2 to secure spot in final |publisher=[[France 24]] |date=6 July 2010 |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] |access-date=6 October 2021 |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20100607-netherlands-beats-uruguay-reach-world-cup-final-semifinal-south-africa-football-soccer |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006113650/https://www.france24.com/en/20100607-netherlands-beats-uruguay-reach-world-cup-final-semifinal-south-africa-football-soccer |url-status=live }}</ref> The Netherlands retook the lead on 70 minutes when Sneijder scored with a shot which deflected off [[Maxi Pereira]], a Uruguayan [[Defender (association football)|defender]].<ref name="GuardianNetherlandsUruguayReport">{{Cite web |last=McCarra |first=Kevin |title=World Cup 2010: Holland hold nerve to beat Uruguay and head for final |author-link=Kevin McCarra |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=6 July 2010 |access-date=6 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/06/holland-uruguay-world-cup-2010-semi-final |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006112150/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/06/holland-uruguay-world-cup-2010-semi-final |url-status=live }}</ref> Uruguay's players protested that van Persie had been interfering with play in an [[offside (association football)|offside]] position, but the goal stood.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2010: Uruguay v Holland – as it happened |last=Doyle |first=Paul |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=6 July 2010 |access-date=6 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/06/world-cup-2010-holland-uruguay-live |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006112148/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/06/world-cup-2010-holland-uruguay-live |url-status=live }}</ref> Robben extended their lead with a [[Header (association football)|header]] shortly afterwards, before Pereira scored during injury time to give a final score of 3–2 to the Netherlands.<ref name="GuardianNetherlandsUruguayReport"/>

===Spain===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;float:right;clear:right;min-width:226px"
|+ Spain's route to the final
|-
!scope="col"|
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Result
|- style="border-top:2px solid black"
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|{{abbr|1|First group match}}
|align="left"|[[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]]
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H#Spain vs Switzerland|0–1]]
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|{{abbr|2|Second group match}}
|align="left"|[[Honduras national football team|Honduras]]
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H#Spain vs Honduras|2–0]]
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|{{abbr|3|Third group match}}
|align="left"|[[Chile national football team|Chile]]
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H#Chile vs Spain|2–1]]
|- style="border-top:2px solid black"
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|{{abbr|R16|Round of 16}}
|align="left"|[[Portugal national football team|Portugal]]
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Spain vs Portugal|1–0]]
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|{{abbr|QF|Quarter-final}}
|align="left"|[[Paraguay national football team|Paraguay]]
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Paraguay vs Spain|1–0]]
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|{{abbr|SF|Semi-final}}
|align="left"|[[Germany national football team|Germany]]
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Germany vs Spain|1–0]]
|}
Like the Netherlands, Spain also won all of the matches in [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 5|their qualifying campaign]].<ref name="RSSSF_Qual"/> They were then drawn in [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group H|Group H]], alongside [[Chile national football team|Chile]], [[Honduras national football team|Honduras]] and [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Group H: Chile, Honduras, Spain, Switzerland |last=Fleming |first=Mark |work=[[The Independent]] |date=23 October 2011 |access-date=4 October 2021 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/group-h-chile-honduras-spain-switzerland-1994008.html |archive-date=4 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004200611/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/group-h-chile-honduras-spain-switzerland-1994008.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Spain began their finals campaign on 16 June 2010 in the Moses Mabhida Stadium against Switzerland. In what ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' reporter Jeremy Wilson described as "among the bigger shocks in the competition's entire history", Switzerland won the game 1–0 with [[Gelson Fernandes]] scoring the winner in the second half after teammate [[Eren Derdiyok]] had collided with Spanish goalkeeper [[Iker Casillas]] when through on goal.<ref name="SpainSwitzTel">{{cite web |first=Jeremy |last=Wilson |title=Spain 0 Switzerland 1: match report |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=16 June 2010 |access-date=6 October 2021 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/news/7830225/Spain-0-Switzerland-1-match-report.html |url-access=registration |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006133956/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/news/7830225/Spain-0-Switzerland-1-match-report.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Their second game was at Johannesburg's [[Ellis Park Stadium]], against Honduras. [[David Villa]] opened the scoring on 17 minutes when he beat two defenders and hit a shot into the top corner of the goal. He doubled the lead shortly after half-time with a shot from the edge of the penalty area following a [[Push and run|one-two]] with [[Xavi (footballer, born 1980)|Xavi]]. Villa missed the chance for a hat-trick when his 60th-minute penalty went wide of the goalpost, and the game finished 2–0 to Spain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2010: Spain v Honduras – as it happened! |last=Glendenning |first=Barry |author-link=Barry Glendenning |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=21 June 2010 |access-date=6 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/21/world-cup-2010-spain-honduras-live |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006164750/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/21/world-cup-2010-spain-honduras-live |url-status=live }}</ref> Spain entered their final game against Chile, at the [[Loftus Versfeld Stadium]] in [[Pretoria]] on 25 June, needing a win to guarantee their progression to the knockout stage.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2010 team news: Chile v Spain |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=25 June 2010 |access-date=6 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/25/team-news-chile-spain |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006175348/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/25/team-news-chile-spain |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="GuardianMomentByMomentSpainChile">{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2010: Chile v Spain – as it happened |last=Smyth |first=Rob |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=25 June 2010 |access-date=6 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/25/world-cup-2010-chile-spain-live |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006175342/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/25/world-cup-2010-chile-spain-live |url-status=live }}</ref> Villa gave Spain the lead on 24 minutes, with what ''[[The Guardian]]''{{'s}} Rob Smyth described as "the goal of the World Cup so far". Chilean goalkeeper [[Claudio Bravo]] came out of the penalty area and made a [[Tackle (football move)#Association football|tackle]] on [[Fernando Torres]], but the loose ball then reached Villa on the left of the pitch and he curled a shot into the net from a distance of around {{convert|40|yards|m}}. They doubled their lead on 37 minutes when [[Andrés Iniesta]] scored following a pass from Villa.<ref name="GuardianMomentByMomentSpainChile"/> Chile's [[Marco Estrada (footballer)|Marco Estrada]] was sent off for a second [[Penalty card|yellow card]] when the referee judged that he had [[Fouls and misconduct (association football)|fouled]] Torres in the build-up to the goal. [[Rodrigo Millar]] pulled a goal back for Chile after half-time, but Spain held on for a 2–1 and a place in the next round as group winners.<ref name="RSSSF_summary"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chile 1–2 Spain |last=Whyatt |first=Chris |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=25 June 2010 |access-date=7 October 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_47/default.stm |archive-date=7 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907082735/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_47/default.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Spain's round-of-16 game was against [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]] at the Cape Town Stadium, on 29 June.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spain 1–0 Portugal |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=29 June 2010 |access-date=7 October 2021 |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2010south-africa/match-center/300061498 |archive-date=8 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008083428/https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2010south-africa/match-center/300061498 |url-status=live }}</ref> Both teams had chances to score in the first half, but it was Spain who took the lead on 63 minutes when Xavi found Villa with a back-heeled pass who scored into the top of the goal after his initial shot was saved by Portuguese goalkeeper [[Eduardo Carvalho]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spain 1–0 Portugal |last=Bevan |first=Chris |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=29 June 2010 |access-date=8 October 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_56/default.stm |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075359/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_56/default.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Portugal's [[Ricardo Costa (footballer, born 1981)|Ricardo Costa]] was sent off with two minutes remaining, for elbowing [[Joan Capdevila]], and Spain went on to complete a 1–0 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2010: Spain v Portugal – as it happened |last=Glendenning |first=Barry |author-link=Barry Glendenning |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=29 June 2010 |access-date=8 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/29/world-cup-2010-spain-portugal-live |archive-date=8 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008100723/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jun/29/world-cup-2010-spain-portugal-live |url-status=live }}</ref> In the quarter-final, Spain faced [[Paraguay national football team|Paraguay]] at Ellis Park Stadium on 3 July.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Paraguay 0–1 Spain |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=3 July 2010 |access-date=7 October 2021 |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2010south-africa/match-center/300061506 |archive-date=8 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008164227/https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2010south-africa/match-center/300061506 |url-status=live }}</ref> Paraguay put the ball into the goal shortly half-time but it was disallowed as [[Óscar Cardozo]] was ruled offside.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2010: Paraguay 0–1 Spain |last=Wilson |first=Paul |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=3 July 2010 |access-date=8 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/03/david-villa-spain-paraguay |archive-date=25 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925040000/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/03/david-villa-spain-paraguay |url-status=live }}</ref> Paraguay were awarded a penalty on 57 minutes, taken by Cardozo after [[Gerard Piqué]] had fouled him, but it was saved by Casillas. Two minutes later, Spain were awarded a penalty of their own when [[Antolín Alcaraz]] fouled Villa. [[Xabi Alonso]] put the ball past the goalkeeper into the net, but the referee ordered it to be retaken due to Spanish players being inside the penalty area when the penalty was taken. Alonso's second attempt, the third penalty of the match, was saved by goalkeeper [[Justo Villar]], and the score remained 0–0. The deadlock was finally broken by Villa, who scored a goal on 82 minutes, which bounced off both posts before going in, to give Spain a 1–0 win.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Paraguay 0–1 Spain |last=Fletcher |first=Paul |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=3 July 2010 |access-date=8 October 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_60/default.stm |archive-date=22 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201122075546/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_60/default.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Their semi-final match took place on 7 July against Germany at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. For the third successive game, Spain won 1–0, the winner a headed goal by [[Carles Puyol]]. [[Kevin McCarra]] of ''The Guardian'' commented afterwards that these results did not imply that Spain were "grinding out" results, however. He said that their play was "enjoyable as well as masterful".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Germany 0–1 Spain |last=McCarra |first=Kevin |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=7 July 2010 |access-date=8 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/07/germany-spain-world-cup-match-report |archive-date=8 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008172823/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/07/germany-spain-world-cup-match-report |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Match==
===Pre-match===
[[File:Howard_Webb_march11.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Howard Webb|[[Howard Webb]] was the final's referee.]]

[[Howard Webb]] of England was named as the [[Referee (association football)|referee]] for the final, along with fellow Englishmen Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey who were the [[Assistant referee (association football)|assistant referees]]. Webb was the first Englishman to [[FIFA World Cup referees#World Cup Final match officials|referee a World Cup final]] since [[Jack Taylor (referee)|Jack Taylor]] officiated the 1974 final.<ref name="GuardianRefDecision">{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2010: England's Howard Webb to referee World Cup final |last=Fifield |first=Dominic |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=8 July 2010 |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/08/howard-webb-referee-world-cup-final1 |archive-date=24 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524165620/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/08/howard-webb-referee-world-cup-final1 |url-status=live }}</ref> A former police officer from [[Rotherham]], Webb was one of the English [[Select Group]] of referees, and had officiated [[Premier League]] matches since 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Howard Webb: 'Simulation is emotive. It's trying to cheat' |last=Wallace |first=Sam |work=[[The Independent]] |date=19 December 2014 |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/howard-webb-i-d-be-crazy-say-i-don-t-miss-big-games-9937084.html |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075359/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/howard-webb-i-d-be-crazy-say-i-don-t-miss-big-games-9937084.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He was appointed to the FIFA list of international match referees in 2005, and before the World Cup, he had taken charge of the [[2010 UEFA Champions League Final]] and the [[2009 FA Cup Final]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The best and worst moments of Howard Webb’s refereeing career |last=Grounds |first=Benjamin |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=6 August 2014 |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/aug/06/howard-webb-best-and-worst-moments-referee |archive-date=20 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420014149/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/aug/06/howard-webb-best-and-worst-moments-referee |url-status=live }}</ref> Webb had refereed three prior games at the 2010 World Cup.<ref name="GuardianRefDecision"/> [[Yuichi Nishimura]] and Toru Sagara, both from Japan, were the fourth and fifth officials respectively.<ref name="FifaMatchOverview"/>

A closing ceremony for the World Cup was held on the pitch before the game, featuring dancers in the colours of the 32 tournament participants.<ref name="Nelson1">{{Cite web |title=Nelson Mandela attends World Cup closing ceremony |last=Batty |first=David |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jul/11/nelson-mandela-world-cup-final |archive-date=24 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724041644/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/11/nelson-mandela-world-cup-final |url-status=live }}</ref> There were also dancers dressed as elephants and hippopotamuses gathered around a [[Geologic depression|watering hole]], denoting South Africa's wildlife, and others in clothing typical of the country's urban youth. Video highlights from the tournament were projected on to the pitch, while local music group [[Ladysmith Black Mambazo]] performed their song "Rain Rain Beautiful Rain" and [[Shakira]] sang the World Cup anthem "[[Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)]]".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Soccer City erupts in light for World Cup closer |agency=Agencies |work=[[The Economic Times]] |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/soccer-city-erupts-in-light-for-world-cup-closer/articleshow/6156326.cms?from=mdr |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075359/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/soccer-city-erupts-in-light-for-world-cup-closer/articleshow/6156326.cms?from=mdr |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Nelson Mandela]], who had missed the opening ceremony due to the death of his great-granddaughter in a road accident, made an appearance on the pitch in his wheelchair before the game, alongside wife [[Graça Machel]]. He was greeted with a noisy standing ovation and a peal of [[vuvuzela]]s from the spectators at the game.<ref name="DreamFinale">{{Cite web |title=Nelson Mandela gives World Cup a dream finale with a wave and a smile |last=Smith |first=David |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/11/world-cup-final-nelson-mandela |archive-date=25 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525100902/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/11/world-cup-final-nelson-mandela |url-status=live }}</ref> Other attendees at the match included members of both the [[Monarchy of the Netherlands|Dutch]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1049/Oranje/article/detail/496373/2010/07/08/Willem-Alexander-en-Maxima-bij-WK-finale.dhtml|title=Willem Alexander en Máxima bij WK-finale|work=[[Algemeen Dagblad]]|language=nl|access-date=10 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713031511/http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1049/Oranje/article/detail/496373/2010/07/08/Willem-Alexander-en-Maxima-bij-WK-finale.dhtml |archive-date=13 July 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Spanish Royal Family|Spanish]] royal families. South African dignitaries and celebrities attended, including [[Charlize Theron]] and South African president [[Jacob Zuma]].<ref name="DreamFinale"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marca.com/2010/07/11/futbol/mundial_2010/1278861299.html|title=Mandela estará en el Soccer City pero no se quedará a ver la final|work=[[Marca (newspaper)|Marca]] |language=es|access-date=11 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713004929/http://www.marca.com/2010/07/11/futbol/mundial_2010/1278861299.html |archive-date=13 July 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> Spaniards [[Plácido Domingo]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Domingo: Proud to be Spanish |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=19 July 2010 |access-date=16 October 2021 |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2010south-africa/news/domingo-proud-spanish-1275610 |archive-date=16 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016141230/https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2010south-africa/news/domingo-proud-spanish-1275610 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Rafael Nadal]] and [[Pau Gasol]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marca.com/2010/07/10/futbol/mundial_2010/selecciones/espana/1278763149.html|title=Apoyo de lujo para La Roja en la gran final|work=[[Marca (newspaper)|Marca]] |language=es|access-date=10 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713004715/http://www.marca.com/2010/07/10/futbol/mundial_2010/selecciones/espana/1278763149.html |archive-date=13 July 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> were in attendance to cheer on their team. American actor [[Morgan Freeman]], who had played Mandela in the 2009 film ''[[Invictus (film)|Invictus]]'', was also present at the game.<ref name="DreamFinale"/>

===First half===
[[File:FIFA World Cup 2010 Final Line-ups.jpg|thumb|left|South African president [[Jacob Zuma]] and other dignitaries shaking hands with the lined-up teams before kick-off.]]
The Netherlands [[Kick-off (association football)|kicked off]] at approximately 8:30&nbsp;pm local time (6:30&nbsp;pm [[UTC]]) in temperatures of {{convert|14|°C|°F|abbr=on}}, with humidity of 34%.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute">{{Cite web |title=World Cup final: Holland v Spain – as it happened |last=Murray |first=Scott |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=9 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/11/holland-spain-world-cup-final-live |archive-date=8 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808074212/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/11/holland-spain-world-cup-final-live |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="TacticalLineUp"/> Spain won a [[Free kick (association football)|free kick]] on 5 minutes, when van Bronckhorst fouled Alonso.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> Xavi's kick reached [[Sergio Ramos]] in the penalty area, who headed the ball towards the bottom-left corner of the goal, but Stekelenburg was able to dive down to make the [[Glossary of association football terms#S|save]].<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/><ref name="UEFAMatchReport">{{Cite web |title=Iniesta earns Spain World Cup crown |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=9 October 2021 |url=https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0253-0d7c93af1ed8-28be4efeaa14-1000--iniesta-earns-spain-world-cup-crown/ |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075400/https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0253-0d7c93af1ed8-28be4efeaa14-1000--iniesta-earns-spain-world-cup-crown/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Pique then gained possession of the loose ball, and attempted to pass to Villa in the centre, but Stekelenburg intercepted.<ref name="ESPNMinuteByMinute">{{cite web |first=Chris |last=Murphy |url=https://www.espn.co.uk/football/commentary?gameId=264123 |publisher=[[ESPN]] |title=Netherlands vs. Spain – Football Match Commentary |access-date=11 October 2021 |date=11 July 2010 |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075438/https://www.espn.co.uk/football/commentary?gameId=264123 |url-status=live }}</ref> Two minutes later, Kuyt obtained the ball following an error by Alonso, and took a shot at the Spanish goal from {{convert|25|yards|m}} out but it was weak and Casillas was able to claim the ball. Spain had a chance on 11 minutes when Ramos beat Kuyt after receiving the ball from Iniesta, but [[John Heitinga]] deflected his shot over the crossbar. Alonso took the resulting corner, which was [[Volley (association football)|volleyed]] by Villa into the [[Glossary of association football terms#S|side netting]]. On 15 minutes, Van Persie received the first [[Penalty card#Yellow card|booking]] of the match for a foul on Capdevila, with Puyol also being shown the yellow card two minutes later for a high tackle on Robben. Sneijder hit a {{convert|25|yards|m|adj=on}} shot at goal from the resulting free kick which was caught by Casillas.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/><ref name="ESPNMinuteByMinute"/>

On 22 minutes, [[Mark van Bommel]] was booked for a foul during a sliding tackle on Iniesta, with Ramos joining him in the book two minutes later for bringing down Kuyt. [[Nigel de Jong]] then became the fifth player of the match to be booked with a high tackle on Alonso which resulted in his studs connecting with the Spaniard's chest.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> Busquets complained to the referee that this should have resulted in a sending off,<ref name="ESPNMinuteByMinute"/> Paul Fletcher of [[BBC Sport]] described the multiple bookings as having "disturbed the rhythm of the match", but noted that "several crude challenges left him with little option".<ref name="BBCSportFinalReport">{{Cite web |title=Netherlands 0–1 Spain (aet) |last=Fletcher |first=Paul |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_64/default.stm |quote=brutal disappointment |archive-date=10 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810004846/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_64/default.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Casillas collided with and injured Puyol on 33 minutes, putting the ball out of play so that he could receive treatment. The Netherlands attempted to return the ball to Casillas from the resulting [[throw-in]], but the bounce off the pitch surprised Casillas and he had to push the ball behind to prevent a Netherlands goal. The Netherlands returned the ball to him from the [[Corner kick|corner]].<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> Netherlands had two opportunities to score from a corner on 37 minutes, but van Bommel and then Mathijsen both failed to connect properly with their attempted shots. [[Pedro (footballer, born 1987)|Pedro]] then ran upfield with the ball but his shot went wide of the goal.<ref name="ESPNMinuteByMinute"/> Shortly before half-time, Robben received the ball on the edge of the Spanish penalty area and his low shot towards the corner of the goal was saved by Casillas as the half ended 0–0.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/>

===Second half===
There were no [[Substitution (sport)|substitutions]] at half-time, and Spain kicked off the second half.<ref name="FifaMatchOverview"/> They had the first opportunity of the half on 48 minutes, when the ball reached Capdevila around {{convert|6|yards|m|sigfig=1}} from goal, but he scuffed his attempted side-footed shot. Spain had a penalty appeal turned down on 50 minutes when van Bommel and Alonso were contesting the ball, after which the Netherlands moved down the field and crossed the ball into the Spanish penalty area, but no Netherlands players were able to reach the ball.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> A mix-up between Casillas and Puyol on 52 minutes led to a Netherlands throw-in, from which they built an attack, but it ended when van Persie's shot was claimed by Casillas. Spain then won a free kick around {{convert|25|yards|m}} from goal, following a foul by van Bronckhorst for which he was booked. It was taken by Xavi, but went wide of the goal.<ref name="ESPNMinuteByMinute"/> On 56 minutes, Heitinga was booked for a foul on Villa and two minutes later the Netherlands won a free kick when Iniesta fouled Robben. The ball reached Heitinga in the penalty area, but he missed his shot although he was deemed to be offside.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> Spain made the first substitution of the match on 60 minutes, with [[Jesús Navas]] coming on in place of Pedro.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/><ref name="ESPNMinuteByMinute"/>

In the 62nd minute, Robben had what [[ESPN]]'s Elko Born later described as "the most obvious opportunity to score during regular time".<ref name="ESPNRobbenChance">{{cite web |title=Arjen Robben and the trauma of 2010 |publisher=[[ESPN]] |url=https://www.espn.co.uk/football/club/name/449/blog/post/1868716/headline |access-date=13 October 2021 |date=8 June 2014 |first=Elko |last=Born |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075400/https://www.espn.co.uk/football/club/name/449/blog/post/1868716/headline |url-status=live }}</ref> Receiving the ball from a Sneijder pass upfield, Robben was [[Glossary of association football terms#O|one-on-one]] with Casillas.<ref name="BBCSportFinalReport"/> He delayed his shot before attempting to flick the ball over the goalkeeper into the corner of the goal, but his shot lacked height and Casillas was able to put the ball out for a corner which the Dutch failed to score from.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/><ref name="ESPNRobbenChance"/> On 67 minutes, Capdevila was booked for a foul on van Persie, and three minutes later Spain had an opportunity when Villa received the ball {{convert|4|yards|m|sigfig=1}} from goal following a pass by Navas. His shot was parried behind by Stekelenburg, in what ''The Guardian''{{'s}} Scott Murray described as an "amazing save, terrible miss".<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> The Netherlands made a change on 71 minutes, as Elia replaced Kuyt, before Spain won a free kick around {{convert|25|yards|m}} from goal which Villa kicked wide. Spain had another chance a minute later as Alonso found Navas, who sent in a cross, but Villa missed with his attempted volley.<ref name="ESPNMinuteByMinute"/> On 77 minutes, Spain won a corner when Villa's shot was saved following a one-two with Xavi. The ball reached Ramos from the corner, who was [[Marking (association football)|unmarked]] {{convert|6|yards|m|sigfig=1}} from goal, but his header went over the crossbar.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/><ref name="BBCSportFinalReport"/> Robben then had a chance on 83 minutes, when he beat Puyol and attempted to take the ball around Casillas, but the goalkeeper dived low to take the ball from him before he could do so. Robben was booked for dissent, saying that Puyol had fouled him, and the game went to extra time, finishing 0–0 at the end of 90 minutes.<ref name="ESPNMinuteByMinute"/>

===Extra time===
Spain appealed for a penalty two minutes into the extra period, when Xavi went down following a clash with Heitinga, but it was not given. Three minutes later, [[Cesc Fàbregas]], who had come on as a substitute for Alonso shortly before the end of regular time, received a pass from Iniesta and was one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He directed a shot low shot towards the corner of the goal, but Stekelenburg was able to claim the ball. This was followed by an opportunity for the Netherlands when Fàbregas impeded Casillas following a Netherlands corner. The ball reached Mathijsen, who was not marked but his attempt to head the ball into the goal from {{convert|6|yards|m|sigfig=1}} went over the crossbar.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> Spain then had two chances, first through Puyol, whose attempted header towards goal lacked power and direction, then through Iniesta who ran forward after receiving a pass from Fàbregas, but lost the ball to van Bronckhorst without being able to shoot or pass the ball to Navas, who was in space. The Netherlands then made their second change, bringing on van der Vaart for de Jong.<ref name="ESPNMinuteByMinute"/> On 101 minutes, Navas ran with the ball down the right-hand flank, following passes by Fàbregas and Villa, before hitting his shot into the side netting. Many spectators at the ground thought it had been a goal. Three minutes later, Fàbregas fired a shot which went just wide of the goalpost.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/><ref name="ESPNMinuteByMinute"/>

The Netherlands made a substitution in the 105th minute, bringing on [[Edson Braafheid]] for van Bronckhorst. After the extra-time interval, Spain substituted Fernando Torres for Villa.<ref name="FifaMatchOverview"/> Braafheid made his first touch when defending a Xavi cross, the ball bouncing off the top of his head and into Stekelenburg's arms after he had turned away from it.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/><ref name="ESPNMinuteByMinute"/> Xavi then found Iniesta on the left of the field, but his attempted run into the penalty area was stopped when he was brought down by Heitinga. The referee gave Heitinga a second booking, which resulted in him being sent off, the fifth player to be dismissed in a World Cup final.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> Another booking followed for van der Wiel on 111 minutes when he fouled Iniesta, and Stekelenburg punched the ball clear from the resulting free kick before Navas hit a shot which went high into the stand behind the goal. On 115 minutes, the Netherlands won a free kick when Pique fouled Elia, which was taken by Sneijder. It deflected off the Spanish [[Glossary of association football terms#W|wall]] and Casillas fingertipped it behind, but the referee gave a [[goal kick]] instead of a corner. Spain then broke upfield through Torres, who passed into the centre where the ball bounced off a Netherlands defender. Fàbregas retrieved it and passed to Iniesta who was in space on the right-hand side of the penalty area. He took one touch with his right foot before striking the ball with his right foot on the half-volley past Stekelenburg into the left corner of the goal to give Spain the lead four minutes before the end. The Netherlands' players complained to the assistant referee about both the corner decision and what they believed was a foul on Elia that was not given. Mathijsen received a booking for throwing the ball into the pitch in anger while Iniesta was also booked for removing his shirt while celebrating his goal. Xavi was booked on 120 minutes for kicking the ball away and Torres went down in injury time with a hamstring issue but Spain held on to win the game 1–0 and win their first World Cup.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/><ref name="ESPNMinuteByMinute"/><ref name="Sky">{{cite news|first=James |last=Dall |title=World domination for Spain |url=http://www.skysports.com/football/world-cup-2010/match-report/0,28360,12097_3294798,00.html |work=Sky Sports |publisher=[[Sky Sports]] |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=11 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712231653/http://www.skysports.com/football/world-cup-2010/match-report/0%2C28360%2C12097_3294798%2C00.html |archive-date=12 July 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Details===
<section begin=Final />{{football box
|date       = 11 July 2010
|time       = 20:30
|team1      = {{fb-rt|NED}}
|score      = 0–1
|aet        = yes
|report=https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249721/300061509?date=2010-07-11
|team2      = {{fb|ESP}}
|goals1     = 
|goals2     = [[Andrés Iniesta|Iniesta]] {{goal|116}}
|stadium    = [[FNB Stadium|Soccer City]], [[Johannesburg]]
|attendance = 84,490
|referee    = [[Howard Webb]] ([[The Football Association|England]])<ref name="referee">{{cite news|title=Referee designations: matches 63–64 |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2010/m=7/news=referee-designations-matches-1270570.html |website=FIFA.com |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |date=8 July 2010 |access-date=6 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100711122423/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid%3D1270570/index.html |archive-date=11 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}<section end=Final />
<section begin=Lineups />
{| width=92%
|-
|{{Football kit
 | pattern_la = _ned10h
 | pattern_b  = _ned10H
 | pattern_ra = _ned10h
 | pattern_sh = _ned10H
 | pattern_so = _band_black
 | leftarm    = FF5F00
 | body       = FF5F00
 | rightarm   = FF5F00
 | shorts     = FF5F00
 | socks      = FF5F00
 | title      = Netherlands<ref name="TacticalLineUp">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821121845/https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/01/27/25/92/64_0711_ned-esp_tacticalstartlist.pdf |title=2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa – Tactical Line-up – Final – Netherlands–Spain |archive-date=21 August 2010 |date=11 July 2010 |publisher=[[FIFA]] |url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/01/27/25/92/64_0711_ned-esp_tacticalstartlist.pdf |access-date=13 October 2021 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}
|{{Football kit
 | pattern_la = _esp10a1
 | pattern_b  = _esp10a1
 | pattern_ra = _esp10a1
 | pattern_sh = _esp10a
 | pattern_so = _spaina2010
 | leftarm    = 003366
 | body       = 003366
 | rightarm   = 003366
 | shorts     = 003366
 | socks      = 003366
 | title      = Spain<ref name="TacticalLineUp"/>
}}
|}

{| width="100%"
|valign="top" width="45%"|
{| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"|
|-
|GK ||'''1''' ||[[Maarten Stekelenburg]]
|-
|RB ||'''2''' ||[[Gregory van der Wiel]] || {{yel|111}}
|-
|CB ||'''3''' ||[[John Heitinga]] || {{sent off|2|57|109}}
|-
|CB ||'''4''' ||[[Joris Mathijsen]] || {{yel|117}}
|-
|LB ||'''5''' ||[[Giovanni van Bronckhorst]] ([[Captain (association football)|c]]) || {{yel|54}} || {{suboff|105}}
|-
|CM ||'''6''' ||[[Mark van Bommel]] || {{yel|22}}
|-
|CM ||'''8''' ||[[Nigel de Jong]] || {{yel|28}} || {{suboff|99}}
|-
|RW ||'''11'''||[[Arjen Robben]] || {{yel|84}}
|-
|AM ||'''10'''||[[Wesley Sneijder]]
|-
|LW ||'''7''' ||[[Dirk Kuyt]] || || {{suboff|71}}
|-
|CF ||'''9''' ||[[Robin van Persie]] || {{yel|15}}
|-
|colspan=3|'''Substitutions:'''
|-
|MF ||'''17'''||[[Eljero Elia]] || || {{subon|71}}
|-
|MF ||'''23'''||[[Rafael van der Vaart]] || || {{subon|99}}
|-
|DF ||'''15'''||[[Edson Braafheid]] || || {{subon|105}}
|-
|colspan=3|'''Manager:'''
|-
|colspan=3|[[Bert van Marwijk]]
|}
|valign="top"|[[File:NED-ESP 2010-07-11.svg|300px]]
|valign="top" width="55%"|
{| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"|
|-
|GK ||'''1''' ||[[Iker Casillas]] ([[Captain (association football)|c]])
|-
|RB ||'''15'''||[[Sergio Ramos]] || {{yel|23}}
|-
|CB ||'''3''' ||[[Gerard Piqué]]
|-
|CB ||'''5''' ||[[Carles Puyol]] || {{yel|16}}
|-
|LB ||'''11'''||[[Joan Capdevila]] || {{yel|67}}
|-
|DM ||'''16'''||[[Sergio Busquets]]
|-
|DM ||'''14'''||[[Xabi Alonso]] || || {{suboff|87}}
|-
|CM ||'''8''' ||[[Xavi (footballer, born 1980)|Xavi]] || {{yel|120+1}}
|-
|RW ||'''6''' ||[[Andrés Iniesta]] || {{yel|118}}
|-
|LW ||'''18'''||[[Pedro (footballer, born 1987)|Pedro]] || || {{suboff|60}}
|-
|CF ||'''7''' ||[[David Villa]] || || {{suboff|106}}
|-
|colspan=3|'''Substitutions:'''
|-
|MF ||'''22'''||[[Jesús Navas]] || || {{subon|60}}
|-
|MF ||'''10'''||[[Cesc Fàbregas]] || || {{subon|87}}
|-
|FW ||'''9''' ||[[Fernando Torres]] || || {{subon|106}}
|-
|colspan=3|'''Manager:'''
|-
|colspan=3|[[Vicente del Bosque]]
|}
|}

{| style="width:100%;font-size:90%"
|
'''Man of the Match:'''
<br />[[Andrés Iniesta]] (Spain)

'''Assistant referees:'''
<br />Darren Cann ([[The Football Association|England]])
<br />Michael Mullarkey ([[The Football Association|England]])
<br />'''Fourth official:'''
<br />[[Yuichi Nishimura]] ([[Japan Football Association|Japan]])
<br />'''Fifth official:'''
<br />Toru Sagara ([[Japan Football Association|Japan]])
<includeonly>|}</includeonly><section end=Lineups />
|style="width:60%;vertical-align:top"|
'''Match rules:'''
*90 minutes
*30 minutes of extra-time if necessary
*[[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|Penalty shoot-out]] if scores still level
*Twelve named substitutes, of which up to three could be used
|}

===Statistics===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ style="text-align:left" | Source:<ref name="FifaMatchOverview">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/matches/round=249721/match=300061509/index.html |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=11 July 2021 |title=Netherlands 0–1 Spain |access-date=13 October 2021 |archive-date=9 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109114920/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/matches/round=249721/match=300061509/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/statistics/matches/round=249721/match=300061509/index.html |publisher=[[FIFA]] |access-date=13 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101208092002/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/statistics/matches/round=249721/match=300061509/index.html |archive-date=8 December 2010 |title=Statistice: Netherlands 0:1 Spain |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
! scope="col" width=130 |&nbsp;
! scope="col" width=70 |Netherlands
! scope="col" width=70 |Spain
|-
! scope="row" |Goals scored
| 0 || 1
|-
! scope="row" |Total shots 
| 13 || 18
|-
! scope="row" |Shots on target
| 5 || 6
|-
! scope="row" |Ball possession 
| 43% || 57%
|-
! scope="row" |Corner kicks 
| 6 || 8
|-
! scope="row" |Fouls committed 
| 28 || 19
|-
! scope="row" |Offsides 
| 7 || 6
|-
! scope="row" |Yellow cards 
| 9 || 5
|-
! scope="row" |Red cards 
| 1 || 0
|}

==Post-match==
[[File:FIFA World Cup 2010 Spain with cup.jpg|thumb|Manager [[Vicente del Bosque]] lifting the trophy with the Spanish players.]]
The win was Spain's first World Cup title, and it lifted them to first place in the FIFA World Rankings with the Netherlands moving into second.<ref name="Rankings14July2010">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men?dateId=id9325 |title=Men's Ranking, 14 July 2010 |publisher=[[FIFA]] |date=14 July 2010 |access-date=13 October 2021 |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075400/https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men?dateId=id9325 |url-status=live }}</ref> Spain also became the first European nation to win a World Cup outside of Europe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spain and the Netherlands to make history |agency=[[Deutsche Presse-Agentur]] |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=9 July 2010 |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/Spain-and-the-Netherlands-to-make-history/article16190469.ece |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014075425/https://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/Spain-and-the-Netherlands-to-make-history/article16190469.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> At the conclusion of the match, the Spanish team changed into their red-shirted home [[Kit (association football)|kit]] for the presentation. These shirts already had a star over the emblem, signifying their World Cup victory.<ref>{{cite web |title=World Cup Live: Netherlands vs. Spain |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/world-cup-live-netherlands-vs-spain/ |date=11 July 2010 |first=Jeff Z. |last=Klein |access-date=16 October 2021}}</ref> The Spain players formed a guard of honour for the Netherlands team as they went up to the stands to receive their runners-up medals. Afterwards, the red-shirted Spaniards went up to receive their medals, led by Xavi. Spain [[Captain (association football)|captain]] Casillas (who per tradition went last) was presented with the trophy by Zuma and FIFA president [[Sepp Blatter]].<ref name="2010WCFreviewFIFA">{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKSHgMqCwbQ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413163026/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKSHgMqCwbQ&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=13 April 2013 |url-status=live|title=2010 WORLD CUP FINAL: Netherlands 0-1 Spain (AET)|publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association|date=11 July 2012|accessdate=28 January 2023|type=YouTube video}}</ref> As Casillas raised the trophy, a short version of the tournament's official anthem "[[Sign of a Victory]]" was played.<ref name="2010WCFreviewFIFA"/> Iniesta was named the [[player of the match|man of the match]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andres Iniesta |last=Rollin |first=Jack |work=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |date=16 September 2021 |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Andres-Iniesta |archive-date=14 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814034055/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Andres-Iniesta |url-status=live }}</ref> while Casillas won the [[FIFA World Cup Golden Glove|Golden Glove]] from FIFA for the tournament's best goalkeeper and the Spanish team won the [[FIFA World Cup Fair Play Trophy|Fair Play Trophy]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa: Spain – winner |publisher=[[FIFA]] |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2010south-africa/teams/43969 |archive-date=10 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010091948/https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2010south-africa/teams/43969 |url-status=live }}</ref>

With fourteen during the match – nine to the Netherlands and five to Spain – the match set the record for the most bookings in a World Cup final, more than doubling the previous record of six from the 1986 final between West Germany and Argentina.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most yellow cards issued in a FIFA World Cup final |work=[[Guinness World Records]] |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-yellow-cards-issued-in-a-fifa-world-cup-championship-match |archive-date=27 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527012414/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-yellow-cards-issued-in-a-fifa-world-cup-championship-match |url-status=live }}</ref> The Netherlands players were critical of referee Webb, questioning why Heitinga was sent off for a second bookable offence, while Iniesta was not.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Cup final: Howard Webb under fire but Johan Cruyff blames Dutch |last1=Fifield |first1=Dominic |last2=Gibson |first2=Owen |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=12 July 2010 |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/12/howard-webb-world-cup-final-2010 |archive-date=3 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303100558/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/12/howard-webb-world-cup-final-2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> Former Netherlands player [[Johan Cruyff]] was critical of his compatriots, however, saying that they had played "in a very dirty fashion", describing their contribution to the final as "ugly", "vulgar" and "[[anti-football]]". He added that the Netherlands should have had two players ([[Mark van Bommel]] and [[Nigel de Jong]]) sent off early in the match, and was critical of Webb for being too lenient on them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/808405/ce/uk/?campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=5901&ver=us |title=2010 World Cup: Johan Cruyff disgusted by Netherlands' approach |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=15 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715081255/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/808405/ce/uk/?campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=5901&ver=us |archive-date=15 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Associated Press]] was of the opinion that the Netherlands had "turned far too often to dirty tactics".<ref>{{cite news |title=Third time's no charm for Dutch |url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/sw20100714a2.html |work=[[The Japan Times]] |date=14 July 2010 |access-date=19 July 2010 |archive-date=13 July 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713185500/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/sw20100714a2.html%23.UABu9Kgo9Rw |url-status=live }}</ref> Webb himself said, in a subsequent interview, that "Having seen [the De Jong challenge] again from my armchair, I would red-card him. The trouble in the actual game was that I had a poor view of that particular incident".<ref>{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Wilson |title=I should have shown Nigel de Jong a red card, says Howard Webb |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/aug/25/howard-webb-world-cup-final |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=25 August 2010 |access-date=23 November 2010 |archive-date=10 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130310012003/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/aug/25/howard-webb-world-cup-final |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Netherlands team were welcomed back to Amsterdam by an estimated 700,000 supporters lining the banks of the canals,<ref name="Reuters">{{Cite web |title=Dutch team get canal parade despite Cup loss |publisher=[[Reuters]] |date=13 July 2010 |access-date=16 October 2021 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/ozasp-soccer-world-dutch-20100713-idAFJOE66C0QL20100713}}</ref> and team captain van Bronckhorst and coach [[Bert van Marwijk]] were named Knights in the [[Order of Orange-Nassau]] by [[Beatrix of the Netherlands|Queen Beatrix]].<ref name="Reuters"/> Further, there were also reports that noted the play-acting and fouls by some of the Spanish players.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Spain must wait for place in pantheon |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/columns/story?id=808260&cc=3436&ver=global |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=15 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715220412/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/columns/story?id=808260&cc=3436&ver=global |archive-date=15 July 2010 }}</ref> German footballer [[Franz Beckenbauer]], who had won the World Cup as both a player and a manager, criticised the two teams and Webb, saying that the match was "lacking flow, [with] constant protests from the players and a referee who didn't have too much of an overview".<ref>{{cite news |title=Franz Beckenbauer Blasts Spain And Netherlands For Football "Anti-Advertisement" |url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2010/07/13/2023511/franz-beckenbauer-blasts-spain-and-netherlands-for-football-anti- |website=[[Goal (website)|Goal]] |date=13 July 2010 |access-date=15 July 2010 |archive-date=16 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816081840/http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2010/07/13/2023511/franz-beckenbauer-blasts-spain-and-netherlands-for-football-anti- |url-status=live }}</ref> Spain's ball-possession strategy in the World Cup final received mixed reactions. While some maintained that it was effective, but "boring",<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spain's win down to possession, not goals |url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5784233,00.html |publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]] |date=12 July 2010 |access-date=25 July 2010 |archive-date=17 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817192605/http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5784233,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=2010 FIFA World Cup Final: How Spain Won It |url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/419690-2010-fifa-world-cup-final-how-spain-won-it |publisher=[[Bleacher Report]] |date=13 July 2010 |access-date=25 July 2010 |archive-date=18 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218133353/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/419690-2010-fifa-world-cup-final-how-spain-won-it |url-status=live }}</ref> others claimed it was "beautiful".<ref>{{Cite news |title=World Cup 2010: Anti-Football's Defeat Brings Hope To Beautiful Game |url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/420509-world-cup-2010-anti-footballs-defeat-brings-hope-to-beautiful-game |publisher=[[Bleacher Report]] |date=15 July 2010 |access-date=30 July 2010 |archive-date=18 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218133355/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/420509-world-cup-2010-anti-footballs-defeat-brings-hope-to-beautiful-game |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=World Cup 2010: A win for the beautiful game |url=http://www.todayonline.com/WorldCup/EDC100713-0000133/A-win-for-the-beautiful-game |work=[[Today (Singapore newspaper)|Today]] |date=13 July 2010 |access-date=30 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716014326/http://www.todayonline.com/WorldCup/EDC100713-0000133/A-win-for-the-beautiful-game |archive-date=16 July 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Football wins as Spain lifts World Cup |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-wcup-johnleicester-110710 |publisher=[[Yahoo!]] |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=30 July 2010 |archive-date=1 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501060231/http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-wcup-johnleicester-110710 |url-status=live }}</ref>

FIFA estimated that 910&nbsp;million viewers worldwide watched at least part of the final.<ref>{{cite web |title=Almost half the world tuned in at home to watch 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa |url=https://www.fifa.com/newscentre/news/newsid=1473143/ |date=11 July 2011 |access-date=30 May 2014 |publisher=[[FIFA]] |archive-date=31 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531090758/http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/news/newsid=1473143/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In Spain, the final attracted 15.6&nbsp;million total Spanish viewers across three networks, which represents 86% share of the audience, becoming the highest rated TV broadcast in Spanish history.<ref name="2010 FIFA World Cup Draws Record Ratings in USA, Europe, and Beyond">{{cite web |first=Todd |last=Lamansky |title=2010 FIFA World Cup Draws Record Ratings in USA, Europe, and Beyond |url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/419916-2010-fifa-world-cup-draws-record-ratings-in-usa-europe-and-beyond#page/3 |publisher=[[Bleacher Report]] |date=13 July 2010 |access-date=20 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717005824/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/419916-2010-fifa-world-cup-draws-record-ratings-in-usa-europe-and-beyond |archive-date=17 July 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> Spain's previous record was set by the Euro 2008 quarter-final [[penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-out]] between Spain and Italy, which drew 14.1&nbsp;million viewers.<ref name="2010 FIFA World Cup Draws Record Ratings in USA, Europe, and Beyond"/> In the Netherlands, 12.2&nbsp;million people watched the final on television,<ref>{{cite web |first=Allister |last=Heath |title=World Cup 2010: a view from the Netherlands |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=14 July 2010 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatlife/7887251/World-Cup-2010-a-view-from-the-Netherlands.html |access-date=13 October 2021 |archive-date=9 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309102759/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatlife/7887251/World-Cup-2010-a-view-from-the-Netherlands.html |url-status=live }}</ref> which was an estimated 74% of the total population of the country.{{efn|The estimated population in 2010 was 16.58&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population counter: How many people live in the Netherlands? |publisher=[[Statistics Netherlands]] |access-date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/visualisations/dashboard-population/population-counter |archive-date=30 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930062008/https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/visualisations/dashboard-population/population-counter |url-status=live }}</ref>}}

Spain's next major tournament was [[UEFA Euro 2012]], which they also won, beating Italy 4–0 in [[UEFA Euro 2012 Final|the final]] to complete three consecutive major tournament wins.<ref name="BBCThreeInaRow">{{Cite web |title=Are Spain the best team of all time? |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=2 July 2012 |access-date=20 July 2021 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18669029 |archive-date=3 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203142901/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18669029 |url-status=live }}</ref> At the subsequent 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Spain and Netherlands were both drawn in [[2014 FIFA World Cup Group B|Group B]], from which Spain failed to advance, finishing third in the group behind the Netherlands and Chile, as well as being beaten by the Netherlands 5–1 in the rematch from four years prior and Chile 2–0. The Netherlands went on to reach the semi-final, where they lost in a penalty shoot-out to Argentina while Chile in the Round of 16.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Cup 2018 |last=Stokkermans |first=Karel |date=9 August 2018 |access-date=24 September 2021 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/2018f.html |archive-date=30 June 2020 |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630070249/http://rsssf.com/tables/2018f.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Netherlands at the FIFA World Cup]]
*[[Spain at the FIFA World Cup]]

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Commons category|Final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup}}
{{wikinews|Spain defeat the Netherlands 1–0 in extra time to win 2010 FIFA World Cup}}

{{2010 FIFA World Cup}}
{{FIFA World Cup}}
{{Netherlands national football team matches}}
{{Spain national football team matches}}
{{Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Sports Special}}
{{Greater Johannesburg|sports}}
{{Portal bar|Association football|South Africa|Netherlands|Spain}}

[[Category:2010 FIFA World Cup|Final]]
[[Category:FIFA World Cup finals]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Johannesburg|Fifa World Cup Final 2010]]
[[Category:Netherlands national football team matches]]
[[Category:Spain national football team matches|FIFA]]
[[Category:Spain at the 2010 FIFA World Cup|FIFA]]
[[Category:Netherlands at the 2010 FIFA World Cup|FIFA]]
[[Category:Netherlands–Spain relations]]
[[Category:2010s in Johannesburg]]
[[Category:July 2010 sports events in Africa]]
[[Category:3D television shows]]