King Carles of Spain

King Carles of Spain ready to rule the world

Spain pay homage to Catalonia (i couldn't resist) with the special "Barca" relationship between Puyol and Xavi

Look at Carles Puyol's eye contact with Xavi Hernandez i Cruz on the back page of today's Independent

Great photojournalism

Xavi supplied the cross from the corner that was met by the skull of Puyol

This moment needs no words – they have playing together as men and boys for Barcelona together for 34 years

How fitting that Vicente del Bosque, the old Real Madrid boss, decided to trust even more in the cult of the Nou Camp and make history for Spain

Ian Chadband for the Telegraph writes a superb homage to the Catalans:

One goal was a paltry reflection of their complete command, even if teams who show some ambition against them – only Chile had previously done so – are liable, like Germany, to be barbecued. For a moment, the fear was that they would not be rewarded, that Germany might snatch victory just as a patient Inter had finally snared Barcelona in the Champions League.

But if the world can see just one more command performance from Spain, if they can bamboozle Holland in the same grand manner on Sunday, and if Van Marwijk doesn’t turn out to be Jose Mourinho, won’t winning the World Cup final sweep away all that Barca angst about losing their Champions League crown?

For by sticking to Barca's glorious principles and showing that, yes, their style can beat the world again, what a triumph for the game that would be. We would then be able to hail the finest champions since the Brazil of 1970