Spain 2010
Spain won South Africa 2010 with the most beautiful football in their history the tiki-taka of Vicente del Bosque, heir to Guardiola's Barcelona, applied at international level. Xavi, Iniesta, and Xabi Alonso controlled every match with hypnotic possession. Spain won all seven of their knockout matches 1-0 including the final on 11 July at Soccer City in Johannesburg, before 84,490 spectators. The Netherlands adopted a violent approach Nigel de Jong should have been sent off for a kung-fu kick to Xabi Alonso's chest but Spain kept their composure. In the 116th minute of extra time, Cesc Fàbregas threaded a pass and Andrés Iniesta fired into the bottom corner. He removed his shirt to reveal a message: "Dani Jarque, siempre con nosotros" a tribute to his late friend. Spain, who had never won a World Cup, were crowned champions at the peak of the tiki-taka era.