There’s plenty of reason to be hopeful about this final. Not least because it’s probably the best final we could have hoped for. I’d thought Brazil-Spain was my ideal game, butBrazil was disappointing, and the Netherlands deservedly dumped it out of the tournament. So we get an all-European final. Well, it would have been close […]
netherlands
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As Dutch aim for first crown, Cruyff supports Spain
[SPAIN-NETHERLANDS] A few days before the 2010 World Cup final, with two nations bubbling in anticipation of a potentially classic meeting between theNetherlands and Spain, a legendary figure steeped in the culture of both countries encapsulated the quirky psyche of his homeland and its place in the world’s game. In the newpaper ElPeriodico de Catalunya, […]
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Octopus Paul picks Spain to win final
[PREDICTIONS] Having already successfully predicted the winner of six World Cup matches so far, Octopus Paul, the wiggly mollusk from Germany’s Oberhausen SeaLife aquarium, was the center of attention when it came time to make his final picks. With millions on television in Europe and Asia watching, the “Oracle of Oberhausen” picked Spain to defeat […]
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Fate of Octopus Paul becomes international matter
German fans loved Octopus Paul when he correctly picked the results of Germany’s first five games at the World Cup, but they turned on him after he correctly picked — in an event televised live onGerman television — Germany to lose to Spain in the semifinals. There have been suggestions that Paul should be fried, […]
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Dutch have 'home' support in finals
The Netherlands will have the support of many South African locals — Afrikaners with Dutch roots — when it plays Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final in Johannesburg. Dutch immigrantsknown as Boers settled in the Western Cape in the 1600s and created settlements throughout much of South Africa. The kept their Dutch dialect and thrived […]
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Spanish and Dutch battle for slice of history
[SPAIN-NETHERLANDS] For the eighth time, the World Cup final is an all-Euro showdown, and the 2010 edition will not only crown a first-time champion, it willalso produce either the first team to win the title after losing its first group game (Spain), or a nation winning a final after losing twice (Netherlands). On the dubious […]
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Webb to officiate Netherlands-Spain final
[REFEREES] Englishman Howard Webb will referee Sunday’s World Cup 2010 final between Spain and the Netherlands inJohannesburg. Webb, 38, will work with assistants Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey. He willbe the first Englishman since Jack Taylor in 1974 to work the final.
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Beautiful ending to Gio's long journey
[REACTION] Giovanni van Bronckhorst is one of only four Dutch players who were born when the Netherlands last played inthe World Cup final. Now, at the age of 35, the Oranje captain will play the last game of his career in Sunday’s final against the winner of the Wednesday’s Germany-Spain game. “Therewere no tears, just […]
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Netherlands-Uruguay Player Ratings
[REPORT CARD] Soccer America’s Paul Kennedy grades the players after the Netherlands’ 3-2 win over Uruguay in the WorldCup semifinals on Wednesday. The Dutch front four of Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie, Dirk Kuyt and Wesley Sneijder was just too much for Uruguay in the last 20 minutes. Giovannivan Bronckhorst, the Oranje’s oldest player at […]
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Oranje outlasts gallant Celeste
[NETHERLANDS-URUGUAY] The Netherlands, losers of the 1974 and 1978 World Cups to the host nations, secured a return to the final by outlasting an undermannedyet very game Uruguay, 3-2, in Cape Town Tuesday. What we liked … — Goals by Giovanni van Bronckhorst,Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben were all exquisite finishes. Van Brockhorst nailed an […]