World Cup 2010: A Final to Forget

The beautiful game this was not. Spain are the champions, and deservedly so, but those hoping that today's match would provide the perfect cap to an outstanding tournament were left bitterly disappointed. Holland coach Bert van Marwijk capped the unfortunate show best when he said "It's not our style, but you play a match to win."

The Dutch skipper summed up why the World Cup Final so rarely delivers a classic. Teams, especially the underdog, often abandon the tactics that brought them to soccer's ultimate game and instead play a conservative, tactical match that sacrifices fluid, entertaining play. In the case of Holland, they felt their best chances to disrupt Spanish ball possession was through a series of hard tackles, far too many of which resulted in fouls.

Not that Holland didn't have their chances. Arjen Robben unthinkably missed on a breakaway near the midpoint of the second half and minutes later he had a legitimate gripe when Carles Puyol held him up in the box. Ironically, a player who has earned a reputation for diving didn't get the call because he stayed on his feet.

Soccer has a way of rewarding the better team and Spain's reward came in the dying seconds of extra time. The winner by Andres Iniesta, much like the match itself, wasn't pretty, but in the eyes of every Spaniard, it was reason to celebrate. Vicente Del Bosque's men now stand as one of the most accomplished squads of all time. Only West Germany (1972-74) and France (1998-2000) have held both the World Cup and the European Championship simultaneously, and the previous two needed home field advantage to capture the Cup. And let's not forget a point that was raised so often after Spain dropped the opener to Switzerland; they become the first side to win the World Cup despite losing their opening match.

As for the hosts, South Africa, they shook off all the pre-tournament criticism to deliver a fantastic event. The spirit of the home fans was evident throughout, and the nation should be proud. For all the grief Sepp Blatter has taken, he deserves credit for standing behind the hosts when so many were calling for the tournament to be moved elsewhere.

History will not remember tonight's match fondly, but for fans from Barcelona to Zaragoza, the painful night of viewing will be overshadowed by their team's crowning triumph.

Germany: 2009-10 Bundesliga Preview

There's an episode of Seinfeld-the one where Kramer is mentoring a Miss America pageant contestant- where Jerry and George are watching TV in their hotel and George suddenly blurts out "Hey! Yankee game!" Jerry flips the channel and Don Mattingly promptly splits his pants. What does any of this have to do with German soccer? Not much, except when I remembered that the major European domestic leagues get underway tomorrow, like Costanza I thought "Hey! Bundesliga!"

In recent seasons the Bundesliga has emerged as one of Europe's most competitive leagues, with a "Bayern Munich vs. the Field" format unfolding. Of the last eight titles, the big, bad Bavarians have captured four, while four other squads have captured one each. Think of Bayern as the Bundlesiga's Tiger Woods. They open each season as favorites, this year being no exception, and whether or not they play up to expectations determines if a squad from the field can emerge as champions.

Which outsiders can mount a challenge this season? My darkhorse pick is Schalke. The Gelsenkirchen outfit has come close in recent seasons, but are still without a league title since 1958. The addition of master manager Felix Magath should enhance their championship credentials. Plenty of others are in the mix- Hamburg, Wolfsburg, Werder Bremen- but in a crowded group, there's no reason not to pick the safe bet, Bayern Munich, to win their record 22nd title.

Germany knows how to open the season in style. Like the NFL, the curtain-raiser is a primetime affair featuring the defending champs. Friday's only game has Wolfsburg opening at home against 2007 champs Stuttgart. The rest of the league gets started over the weekend.

Europe's Overlooked Managerial Star

Following Chelsea's FA Cup win over Everton, the New York Times asked if outgoing Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink is the best manager in the world. While his name, along with those of Jose Mourinho, Alex Fegruson and Carlo Ancelotti often dominate the headlines, Europe's most underrated manager plies his trade in Germany.

The surprising Bundesliga title captured by Wolfsburg this season is another mark on the impressive resume of Felix Magath. With three titles in five years, Magath now heads to Schalke, where he may be the coach that finally turns the perennial contenders into league champs. Magath previously captured league/cup doubles in his first two seasons with Bayern Munich (2005 and 2006), but in typically impatient Bayern fashion, he was fired after a slow start to his third campaign. In 2003 he lead Stuttgart to a second-place finish, their best mark in 11 years.

Is Magath the best in the world? Not quite. But he has earned his place among the discussion of Europe's elite managers. When Franz Beckenbauer recommends you for knighthood, you must be doing something impressive.