Euro 2012 Champions: Spain

Spain beat Italy 4-0 today. Don't be all that surprised. It was going to end up that way whether we liked it or not. Italy were a quality side, a side that had rebuilt itself and were looking for experience internationally but it wasn't on the same level as Spain, not really. You can blame Prandelli's "naive tactics" or his selection or their over-reliance on such an unknown quantity that is Mario Balotelli, but they are quite frankly years away from truly competing on the level that Spain, or Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo, or even Germany with their gaggle of bright young prospects is capable of.

Spain are the reference point. They are why Germany changed their approach under Jurgen Klinsmann and Joachim Loew, why Italy have opened up their game under Cesare Prandelli, and certainly why Brazil have gone away from Dunga's negative tactics and have tried to recapture their legendary Joga Bonito. Critics can decry their game for negativity all  they want, more of a reaction to the tactics that their opponents promote in stifling Spanish creativity I'd say, but there is a Renaissance of attacking football occurring and the proponents of neo-catenaccio are struggling to maintain their hold.

It's cyclical I'm sure, but there is a sense that Chile under Marcelo Bielsa's heirs and even Argentina in a desperate attempt to harness the gifts that Lionel Messi provides them have adopted some of the purpose or design that the Spanish have provided. They have shown that football is not a game of lung-power or athleticism, nor even of defensive steel or tactical nous. It's not about ultra-modern training methods or opponent dossiers. It is certainly not about size or strength or power necessarily. Football is about skill, panache and daring just as much as it is about all of those adjectives mentioned before.

It may not be your cup of tea or coffee, you might think it ungainly or awkward if compared to the more familiar brand of football played elsewhere, but it's not going away. Spain may never reach these heights again, there might be new World Cup and Euro Championship winners in the next decade, but  is doubtful that we will ever see a group of players with this much chutzpah, this much of a winning mentality than the squad that represented Spain at these Euros.