CLASSIC EURO ENCOUNTERS

West Germany v Holland 1988 Semi-Final (Hamburg)

Never dull, matches between these two bitter rivals. In a repeat of the 1974 World Cup Final, both sides scored from the penalty spot. The Dutch had looked very impressive in their group fixtures and Marco Van Basten was in sensational form. It was they who made most of the running in the first half and created the better chances, but it was the host nation who took the lead in the 55th minute, Lothar Matthaus converting with typical ease from the spot after Jurgen Klinnsmann had been bundled off the ball by Frank Rikjaard. A few minutes later Klinnsmann shot narrowly wide following a great run by Matthaus, thus failing to secure the Germans passage to the Final. At 2-0 down even the Dutch would have struggled to find a way back. In the 74th minute, Van Basten tricked his way into the box and Jurgen Kohler challenged him. Van Basten went down and the referee pointed to the spot, although TV replays clearly showed that Kohler had played the ball. Ronald Koeman scored the resulting penalty and the watching world geared up for a grandstand finish.

With just seconds to go on the clock, Jan Wouters slid a perfectly weighted pass into the penalty area and Van Basten provided a gloriously instinctive first time finish to stun the home crowd and send Holland into the Final.

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.

WORLD CUP-LATEST PREDICTIONS TUESDAY 6 JULY

SEMI-FINAL

Uruguay v Holland

This semi-final guarantees that, for the first time since 1978, a team outside the 'Big Five' of Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina and France will be in the World Cup Final. The absence of Luis Suarez following his goal line handball against Ghana tips this one heavily in favour of the Dutch for me. Since Holland's last appearance in a major final - Euro 88 - they have lost four semi-finals, in the World Cup in 1998 and in the European Championships in 1992, 2000 and 2004. It's about time they won one, and I think they will.

MATCH PREDICTION: Uruguay 0-2 Holland

WORLD CUP-LATEST PREDICTIONS MONDAY 28 JUNE

Holland v Slovakia

Slovakia have surprised a few people to have got through their group, especially after going into their last group match against Italy with only one point. The Dutch have been in cruise control so far, but I think they'll have a difficult afternoon.

MATCH PREDICTION: Holland 2-1 Slovakia

Brazil v Chile

Chile had Spain rattled for the first 20 minutes last Friday and will be good enough to give Brazil a tough game. It's difficult to see anything beyond a victory for the Samba Stars though.

MATCH PREDICTION: Brazil 1-0 Chile

WORLD CUP-LATEST PREDICTIONS THURSDAY 24 JUNE

WORLD CUP PREDICTIONS FOR TODAY'S GAMES:

Slovakia 2-3 Italy

The defending champions are under pressure but will deliver. I sense considerable drama in this one though.

Paraguay 3-0 New Zealand

It's going to be a stroll in the park for the very well-organized and impressive South Americans - a dark horse for the tournament.

Denmark 1-0 Japan

The Danes have never failed at the group stage in three previous World Cup appearances. They will be good enough again to just see off Japan.

Cameroon 2-1 Holland

Cameroon are out but will finish with a win again the Dutch who are already through.

WORLD CUP-LATEST PREDICTIONS SATURDAY 19 JUNE

WORLD CUP PREDICTIONS FOR TODAY'S GAMES:

Holland 1-0 Japan

I expect the Dutch to confirm their progress with a win in this one, although Japan will not lie down.

Ghana 3-2 Australia

Ghana are fast becoming Africa's best hope in this World Cup, and they'll have just too much for Australia in a game of goals.

Cameroon 2-0 Denmark

Cameroon need to win this one and hope that the Dutch beat Japan. They'll then need to get something out of their clash with Holland next Thursday and hope that Denmark beat Japan. Complicated? Let's stick with today's game; Cameroon to win.

WORLD CUP LATEST PREDICTIONS - MONDAY JUNE 14

World Cup Predictions for today:

Holland 1-1 Denmark

Much is expected from the Dutch but this is a tough opener - the Danes have never failed to make it out of the group stages in three previous appearances at the Finals and will be good enough for a point.

Cameroon 3-0 Japan

I expect more joy for the African nations with a comfortable win for Cameroon against a weak Japanese side.

Italy 1-1 Paraguay

These two teams should qualify from Group F and I expect a cagey opening and the points shared.

SELECTION HEADACHES

There's no denying it, we may be thirty days from the start of the tournament but South Africa 2010 is well and truly in full swing.

With squads being announced left, right and centre there is talking point after talking point arising from all corners of the globe and believe it or not there's the odd metatarsal raising it's ugly head, or toe as the case may be.

It seems that South Africa will be a World Cup that will make new international superstars rather than showcasing the ones we are already familiar with. Maradona kicked things off by giving Argentina fans something of a head scratcher as he left out not one, not two, but three big names in his provisional squad.

The legend has left the trio of Javier Zanetti, Fernando Gago and Esteban Cambiasso without a seat on the plane to South Africa. In an apparent catching trend Ronaldinho has been omitted by the Brazilians, Ruud van Nistelrooy overlooked by the Dutch, Luca Toni and Francesco Totti ignored by the Azzuri and Patrick Vieira left out of the France squad.

That crazy Raymond Domenech has also left out Arsenal's Samir Nasri and decided that Real Madrid's £30 million striker Karim Benzema is not one of the top eight French strikers with the twenty-two year old told to take a holiday somewhere other than South Africa this summer.

In other news, Mexico have named just five midfielders in a thirty man squad and New Zealand have selected two men who don't have clubs.

On the home front it's somewhat less surprising that there is no Michael Owen in the England squad and for injury reasons David Beckham has also missed out. However don't think Fabio Capello has it all that easy, since naming Rio Ferdinand the new England captain the Manchester United defender has struggled to string two games together while there are strong whispers that John Terry has done his metatarsal (that's a toe to us simpletons).

The first choice replacement is Tottenham Hotspur's Ledley King, a man who has such injury problems that he doesn't train for the Premier League outfit, but admittedly it doesn't seem to effect his performances on the pitch. King was an integral part of Spurs successful charge to fourth place this season and you'd bet your house on him to put his career on the line for the cause.

Other backups in the centre back position are the untried Michael Dawson, the uninspiring Matty Upson and the un-retired Jamie Carragher all of whom would have to string together an immediate understanding to give England some leadership at the back.

When is this tournament over? I've already got a headache.