Football · 2010 · Johannesburg, South Africa
Iniesta Wins Spain's First World Cup
Four minutes from penalties in a tense, foul-strewn World Cup final, Andrés Iniesta takes a pass on his chest and volleys Spain to their first world title.
Spain 1-0 Netherlands (AET)
Result
116th minute
Goal
Spain's 1st World Cup
Title
Spain and the Netherlands had gone goalless through ninety minutes and deep into extra time of the 2010 World Cup final at Soccer City, in a match remembered at least as much for its physicality, one Dutch player was sent off late on, as for the football in it. Both sides had chances to settle it outright before the 116th minute arrived.
Cesc Fàbregas found Iniesta with a low pass just inside the penalty area. Iniesta took it on his chest, let it drop, and struck a first-time volley across the goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg into the far corner. He pulled his shirt off, and underneath was a message for Dani Jarque, a former Spain youth teammate who had died the previous year.
Spain were world champions for the first time in the federation's history, with Euro 2008 behind them and Euro 2012 still to come, which is about as dominant as international football gets. The volley is the moment that generation gets remembered by.
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