Spain 1, The Netherlands 0

Though I was hoping the third time would be a charm for the Dutch, I have to congratulate Spain on winning the World Cup.

After years of futility, the Spaniards are kings of the soccer world. Spain always seemed to have the perfect combination for soccer domination. They had the best league in the world, which featured many homegrown players, and a crop of talented exports playing elsewhere in Europe. However, none of these assets translated to international success until the last few years. All the stars have aligned with this batch of players. They have gotten over the hump, which I hope the Dutch will do someday.