Gracious Low celebrates 'wonderful' Spain

The Spaniards will play Holland on Sunday at Soccer city, Johannesburg, in a match which pitches the great underachievers of world football against each other.

Neither has won football's greatest prize before.

But after central defender Carles Puyol scored the only goal of an intriguing rather than thrilling semi-final with a powerful header from a corner-kick the World Cup is certain to have a new winners' name inscribed upon it.

And German manager Joachim Low was the first to predict Spain would be crowned world champions.

Low, whose side were also beaten by Spain in the European Championship final two years ago, said: "Spain are a wonderful team. They are the masters of the game. You can see it in every pass. They can hardly be beaten. They are extremely calm and convincing. Spain were just better than we were and they deserved to win.

"In 2008 they won the European Championships in a very convincing way and they have been unchanged over the past two or three years. They play in an automatic way and I am confident they will win the title.

"They have put on top performances in all matches they have played and they can beat everyone.

"Over the past two or three years they have been the most skilled team of all. They circulate the ball quickly and we were not able to play like previous matches. We were not able to get rid of our inhibitions."

It was generous praise from the German boss, whose own side were a pale shadow of the vibrant team which had demolished England and Argentina in back-to-back matches.

But while Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque was delighted with his side's performance he was taking nothing for granted where Sunday's final is concerned.

Del Bosque said: "You must celebrate victory but with moderation and don't forget your responsibilities. We are sportsmen and we want to reach out for the World Cup."