Spain's Carlos Marchena, facing, says the current crop of gifted players deserve to win the World Cup tonight.
Spain's Carlos Marchena, facing, says the current crop of gifted players deserve to win the World Cup tonight.

Spain like Clockwork Orange, but better



JOHANNESBURG // Holland's Total Football tactical system of the 1970s was based on short, rapid passing and tenacious ball retention. The Spanish side that arrive at Soccer City this evening hoping to leave with the World Cup trophy, are likewise based around fluidity on the field and keeping possession. The Oranje were so reliable in their tactical efficiency en route to the World Cup finals of 1974 and 1978 that they were nicknamed "Clockwork Orange" by the English-speaking media.

Judgement Day arrived with the sunrise this morning in South Africa, but as the clock ticks down to the reckoning hour, Xavi, Spain's midfield visionary who would not have looked out of place alongside Johan Cruyff in the heart of the Dutch midfield, said he is desperate not to suffer the fate of the 1970s Holland side. The Dutch lost both finals to the host country - Germany, then Argentina four years later - and have been labelled underachievers ever since. Voted man of the match in his country's 1-0 semi-final win over Germany, Xavi, the Barcelona playmaker, said his side's style of play warrants success. The idea of seeing his country's name engraved on the World Cup trophy for the first time provides additional motivation.

"We don't want to become another Clockwork Orange, we want to be the champions," he said. "We want to go down in history by lifting this trophy. It would be huge just for football, good for this sport and, what's more, this generation of players deserve it." For the European Champions' veteran defenders, Carles Puyol, Joan Capdevila and Carlos Marchena, the final tonight most likely signals their last chance for success on the global stage.

Marchena, the Valencia centre-half who has appeared mainly as a substitute this summer, believes Spanish supporters are due success and that victory tonight would help banish the bad memories of previous campaigns where the Spaniards faltered. La Roja's best performance at a World Cup previous to South Africa was a their sole semi-final appearance, in 1950. "I believe the history of football owes us this one," said Marchena, 30.

"There have been great moments in our history where fortune did not end up on our side. We have been through several great disappointments over the years. We tried hard then, but without any luck. "Perhaps this time we are to change those bitter moments. I hope [today] is one of those beautiful moments which are to be remembered in a good way for the rest of our lives." There were fears ahead of this summer's showpiece that with players such as Cesc Fabregas, the Arsenal captain, and David Silva, the winger who recently joined Manchester City, being restricted to the substitutes' bench that unrest could ferment in La Roja's camp. Fabregas conceded he has felt "hurt" by his limited action in South Africa, but Marchena said it is the high morale amid Vicente Del Bosque's 23-man squad that is pushing the side forward.

"There have been great national teams before, but this team is the one that has been able to be the best 'team'," Marchena said. "This is how it has managed to get where it is and it's a great credit to our players." gmeenaghan@thenational.ae

Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Results

Stage 7:

1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29

2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time

3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious

4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep

5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM

General Classification:

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35

3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02

4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42

5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45

Results

Stage seven

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s

3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s

General Classification

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s

3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now