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Joachim LÃ¶w: â€œSpain will win World Cup 2010â€

08 July 2010 09:15 (UTC +04:00)

LÃ¶w watched his side beaten 1-0 in the World Cup semi-finals by a second-half header from Spain defender Carles Puyol to set up a World Cup final between Spain and Holland, the great underachievers of world football.
LÃ¶w then predicted: "I am confident they will win the title.
"Spain are a wonderful team. They are the masters of the game. You can see it in every pass. They can hardly be beaten. They are extremely calm and convincing. Spain were just better than we were and they deserved to win.
"In 2008 they won the European Championships in a very convincing way (beating Germany in the final) and they have been unchanged over the past two or three years.
"They play in an automatic way. They have put on top performances in all matches they have played and they can beat everyone.
"Over the past two or three years they have been the most skilled team of all. They circulate the ball quickly and we were not able to play like previous matches. We were not able to get rid of our inhibitions."
The Germans were a pale shadow of the vibrant team which had demolished England and Argentina in back-to-back matches.
However, that had as much to do with the stranglehold Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Xabi Alonso had on the midfield as with Germany’s under-par performance.
LÃ¶w, who refused to discuss his own future until after the tournament, has now turned his thoughts to a third-place match against Uruguay on Saturday.
"I have got to try to wake up the team," said LÃ¶w. "We have another game to play.
"We will approach the match (for third place) seriously. We will come to terms with the disappointment and look forward.
"We have to look ahead and work hard and on Saturday provide a grand finale, if even a small finale."
Meanwhile, the World Cup final offers Spain the chance to follow West Germany into the history books as European Champions who added the World Cup to their crown.
Xavi and his team-mates have already been installed as favourites.
However, the Barcelona playmaker is keen to relieve the pressure and make sure Spain make the most of their first date at world football’s most prestigious gathering.
"Let’s enjoy the final," said Xavi. "We dedicate this victory to Spain. If we play on Sunday like we did today, we will have a great chance."
Xavi claimed Spain dominated their youthful opponents, turning the screw in the second half and netting the crucial winner moments after Toni Kroos had missed Germany’s best chance.
"We played as we wanted to," he said. "Now it is a final against Holland, a great team playing great football with great players in midfield and up front.
"We will have to impose our personality and football on them."
For once David Villa was unable to find the net.
He remains in pole position to claim the Golden Boot, though, and feels Spain can build on their best performance of the competition.
"We have shown that in the big moments we rise to the occasion," said the new Barcelona signing.
"It is the best game we have played. We deserved to score more but a Puyol goal put us in the final and we are exultant."