World and European double for Yorkshire ref Webb

The 38-year-old Yorkshireman will take charge of Sunday's final at Johannesburg's Soccer City along with his assistants Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey following a decision by FIFA's referees committee.

He will become the first Englishman to referee the final since Jack Taylor in 1974 – who awarded the first World Cup final penalty to Holland just a minute into the match against West Germany – and follows in the footsteps of Bill Ling in 1954 and George Reader in 1950.

Webb – who will make a piece of football history by becoming the first person to have refereed the Champions League or European Cup final and the World Cup final in the same year – has emerged as the Premier League's leading referee following the retirement of Graham Poll, the last World Cup referee from England.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore paid tribute to Webb and his team, saying: "We see the hard work and professionalism of Howard Webb, Darren Cann and Mike Mullarkey week-in, week-out when they are officiating in the Barclays Premier League.

"So, it is great to see their fantastic season, where they have already represented English refereeing in the UEFA Champions League Final, topped off with the ultimate appointment – the FIFA World Cup Final."

Webb has refereed three matches in this World Cup so far, starting off with Spain's shock defeat by Switzerland.

There was some unhappiness among the Spanish press, who made him the scapegoat for the defeat – newspaper Marca gave him four out of 10 – but Webb's team really impressed when Italy faced Slovakia when Cann was spot on with a tight call to rule out Fabio Quagliarella's 'equaliser'.

In the first knockout round match between Brazil and Chile, Mullarkey was similarly praised for his decision to allow Luis Fabiano's goal while Chile defenders were claiming offside.

Poll's World Cup in 2006 ended in calamity when he booked Croatia's Josip Simunic three times before sending him off, while Webb suffered death threats on the internet when he awarded a last-minute penalty to Austria against Poland in Euro 2008 for shirt-pulling.

UEFA backed him – as did video replays of the incident – and chose him for this year's Champions League final between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.

Webb, who is currently on a five-year break from South Yorkshire Police where he was serving as a sergeant in the force, said earlier on in the tournament that referees have to be brave.

The miner's son, who grew up in the shadow of the Orgreave Colliery, said: "You hope that you don't have controversies but sometimes you have to make the big decisions.

"If you don't, because you are trying to avoid controversy, you are not doing your job right. If the situation presents itself, you have to react.

"It would be a great honour to be given the final but it would be for all the officials here. We want to progress to the latter stages of this tournament but not at the expense of other people's mistakes."

Premier League referees chief Mike Riley praised Webb and his assistants Cann, from Norfolk, and Mullarkey, from Exeter.

Riley, general manager of Professional Match Game Officials said: "It's not only recognition for their excellent tournament in South Africa so far but also the progress they have made internationally over the last four years."

Riley said he hoped the appointment would attract new officials to refereeing.

He added: "Their appointment is fantastic recognition for English refereeing and should act as an inspiration for all young referees wanting to enter into the game. It just shows what you can achieve if you work hard."

As Holland and Spain prepare for Sunday, the Netherlands' coach Bert van Marwijk says he has taken inspiration from former Dutch greats but insists comparisons cannot be drawn between his World Cup finalists and the 'Total Football' legends of the past.

Van Marwijk has taken advice from Johan Cruyff and Ruud Gullit among others, while Rudi Krol has been a constant presence at training sessions.

Neither the 1974 nor 1978 sides were able to take that last step to become World Cup winners, but van Marwijk believes Holland can overcome Spain to take the crown.

He said: "This is the third time that we have reached the final but we live in another time. I thought about that during the semi-final and the Netherlands in '74 and '78, they are an inspiration. At that moment I thought the chance was very great that we will win the final.

"But you cannot compare this team with something that happened 28 and 32 years ago. We just play for everybody in Holland."

Spain will start as overwhelming favourites to exert a superiority that has been evident since their scorching run to Euro 2008 glory in Vienna.

There was one wobble against the United States at last summer's Confederations Cup, and the poor form of Fernando Torres has slightly blunted Spain's cutting edge which their brilliant passing game deserves.

But they can still become the first team since West Germany in 1972 and 1974 to follow a European Championship triumph by lifting the biggest prize two years later.