SPAIN'S DATE WITH DESTINY

Spain, then, have finally achieved the ultimate goal and landed the biggest Trophy that it's possible to win on Planet Earth.

And not before time. This was a date with destiny. Perennial underachievers no longer. Years of failures and frustrations. Tears and heartache. Inevitable moments of believing that it would never happen, that the dream would never come to pass. And then one day it comes, that one Victory that contains all the power in the world to heal the scars of the past and turn despair to triumph and heartache to delirious elation.

This was a World Cup of firsts. The first time that Spain have won the Cup. The first time any team has won the Cup after losing their first game. And the first time that a European team has won it outside of their own continent. Spain have made history in South Africa in 2010.

Germany have now lost to the eventual winners in each of the three World Cups since the turn of the century. For the second World Cup running the team that knocked out Brazil ended up losing the Final.

Holland have now appeared in three Finals and not won any of them. England's seemingly interminable wait for a shot at glory goes on as they continue to flatter to deceive.

The rise of the Asian sides was a feature in South Africa, and the closely fought nature of matches such as Paraguay v Spain and Uruguay v Holland and the third/fourth-place match are also indicative of the gap between so-called big teams and the rest of the world closing. The fates that befell the mighty France and Italy may become a common occurrence for the big guns in future tournaments.

The closing images of the World Cup - Iniesta's late strike and the jubilant celebrations that followed - must have warmed the heart of many neutrals across the world; for Spain were worthy Champions, and fully deserve their moment. For now - and rightly so - they reign peerless, perched majestically at the summit of World Football.

WORLD CUP-LATEST PREDICTION - THE FINAL

WORLD CUP FINAL

SPAIN v HOLLAND

Looking at this game objectively, there is a considerable gap between the teams. Spain are way ahead of the rest of Europe. There are many - myself included - who would love to have seen Spain play Brazil today, as in many ways that would be the ultimate challenge for the majestic European Champions.

It's difficult to see how Holland can win. They have stated their intent to press Spain high up the pitch, to try and deny them the possession that they usually enjoy and employ to such devastating effect. Switzerland did show the world that it's possible to beat Spain, but like so many Champions-elect, the Spanish have progressed and improved as they have moved through the tournament to the Final.

Holland do have match-winners of their own. Arjen Robben is one of the best five players in the world right now in my book. And he could find himself face to face with the one possible weak link that Spain have - left-back Joan Capdevila. I feel Holland are going to need something special from Robben tonight if they are to unburden themselves of the two failures at the last hurdle in the 1970s.

As my predictions for this tournament have shown - I am notoriously bad at doing it! So if I get this last one wrong it's not going to further tarnish my reputation too much... Spain should win this game. But my gut tells me the Dutch are going to.

MATCH PREDICTION: SPAIN 1-2 HOLLAND

WINNER NUMBER EIGHT

In 1998 when France beat Brazil in the Final they became the seventh nation to win the World Cup.

In 2010 the world is celebrating 80 years of World Cup history, and following victories for Holland and Spain in the semi-finals we are now guaranteed a new winner of the most coveted sporting prize in the world. The eighth winner of the FIFA World Cup will be confirmed in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Amazingly, the clash between Holland and Spain will be the first ever between the two countries in a major international tournament. Spain will be appearing in their first ever World Cup Final, and will be seeking to add the World Title to the European Championships they won so convincingly two years ago. For Holland it will be the first appearance in the World Cup Final for 36 years, and their third overall. It's tough for them to contemplate that they could finish runners-up yet again.

So the stage is set for the biggest and most important football match played anywhere in the world over a four-year period to take place in Johannesburg on Sunday. The destiny of the World Cup is Europe. The old guard has been pierced, and the world awaits the heralding of a new winner.