Spain winning Euro 2008 is a victory for football

Congratulations to Spain from the team at EFT for playing superb technical, cohesive, integrated and stylish football on their way to being crowned European Champions.

This is a team to believe in. A team fitting to bear the mantle international champion. With all respect to defending champions, Greece, there is no doubt after these championships that indeed the best footballing team walked away with the title.

And with all respect to current world champions, Italy, it is great that the team that won the final won it in open play and not by grinding out a stalemate and taking the trophy on penalites.

Spain are the antidote to the past few years in football where pragmatists like Mourinho, Rehhagel, Bentiez have projected their philosophy of grinding 'winning' football over the ideal of winning through pure, stylish, attacking football.

When the pragmatist wins, the pure football fan is indifferent. When Spain won last Sunday, the whole of football celebrates.

Credit goes to Spain coach, Aragones, who produced a perfect 'five-five' balance in his team and set them out to dominate teams through excellent possession and quick passing attacking football built on a solid defensive unit.

Senna playing in front of an organsised four man defence set the defensive solidity for the five out of six of Xavi, Iniesta, David Silva, Fabregas, Torres and Villa to attack and overwhelm teams with their abundance of technique, skill, interplay and footballing intelligence.

And behind them in goal is the goalkeeper who is already an all-time great at 27 years old - captain, Iker Casillas. It was fitting that he lifted the trophy - a great figure for Spain.

Spain have set the template for all footballing teams to emulate. They are the international team to follow and to aspire to. I hope England international footballers watched Spain and decided that they must aim to meet their standard.

Before the tournament I thought Spain has what it took technically to be champions - but I had doubts over their collective mentality to go all the way through the tournament. What this tournament proved to me is that when a team comes together with excellent unity, organisation, technique, attacking ability and intelligence any doubts over mentality within the team are cast aside - and they can become champions.

Well done Spain for winning playing fantastic football - football should celebrate when this ideal is achieved.