To the surprise of very few, Spain have won the 2012 European Championship. And they did so convincingly with a 4-0 win over Italy.
Goals from David Silva, Jordi Alba, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata helped give Spain their third European crown.
The win was one filled with history: Spain become the first side to successfully defend the cup. This is also Spain’s third consecutive major championship (2008 and 2012 European Champions, 2010 World Cup Champions) and they are the second team with 3 titles in the European Championships. The 4-0 victory is the biggest ever win in a European Championship final. The win also meant that this was Spain’s first victory – excluding penalties – over Italy in a competitive match since the 1920 Olympics; adding up to 29 games unbeaten in this competition.
Add to that Iker Casillas’ record of 100 victories representing a national team (1st player ever to do so). Also, coach Vicente Del Bosque becomes the only manager to have won a UEFA Champions League, a UEFA European Championship and a World Cup (2nd manager to win both a World Cup and European Championship).
Four goals in the final, first ever to successfully defend the title 29 games unbeaten, 2 broken records. So much for this team being “boring.”
Check out the goals helped cement this Spanish team in the record books as the great European side ever:
David Silva (1-0)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiX7YmRy_0A&feature=plcp]
Jordi Alba (2-0)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6__KexzDOs&feature=player_embedded]
Fernando Torres (3-0)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBl_iC7oH6Q&feature=player_embedded]
Juan Mata (4-0)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC-zuukpxiw&feature=player_embedded]
