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Striker David Villa says Spain will need to stifle the Netherlands’ attack if they are going to lift the FIFA World Cup™ on Sunday after reaching their first final.

With five goals to his name, Villa has a chance of winning the adidas Golden Boot if he can score in the final at Soccer City, but Barcelona’s latest signing says Spain must first stop the Dutch getting the ball. Having starved Germany of possession to dominate Wednesday’s semi-final and secure a 1-0 win in Durban, Villa says Spain will need to be just as good technically against Bert van Marwijk’s Dutch.

“In the semi-final, Germany wanted to have the ball and play with their own weapons, but we took possession and forced them into defence,” said Villa. “We forced them to go backwards. We expect the Dutch to want to have the ball, they like to play and they will want to attack. We want to make it hard for them to get the ball. If we do what we managed to do against Germany, it will go a long way to victory.”

We are feeling very comfortable with the way we are playing, and we are creating plenty of opportunities.

Spain’s Xavi

Midfielder Xavi agreed that while football fans are eager to see whether Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder can match Spain’s attack in a potential goal bonanza, possession could well decide the winners. “I don’t think the war will be fought in midfield,” said the Barcelona playmaker. “Whoever has the most possession will probably win the match. We have to make sure we get as much of the ball as we can. But the Dutch are very good at holding possession and we have to contend with that.”

Having failed to win by more than a single goal in any of their FIFA World Cup matches to date, Xavi admits the final would be the ideal time for Spain to find their scoring touch. “It is clear we have not scored many goals,” said the 30-year-old. ” Usually when you do that, you tend to get goals. But we are not converting the chances to our normal percentage. Let’s see if we can lift that because it will be particularly important tomorrow.”

Liverpool’s Fernando Torres was axed for the semi-final and his replacement, Barcelona’s 22-year-old Pedro Rodriguez, did well enough in Durban to give Vicente Del Bosque a selection headache. The Spanish coach will need to decide who will partner Villa up front, but the Barcelona new boy has no preference.

“It would be a great honour to play with either of them,” said Villa. “They are both spectacular players who would help me to do my work around the pitch. But the beauty of our squad is that we have so many people like that. It is a pleasure to play with them all, so I will just leave it for the coach to decide.”

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Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque pleaded with his team to keep their feet on the ground ahead of Sunday’s FIFA World Cup™ Final against the Netherlands as eve Dutch legend Johan Cruyff backed the European champions to triumph.

Del Bosque, whose team reached their first FIFA World Cup Final thanks to a 1-0 semi-final win over three-time champions Germany, is wary of complacency having seen his side lose their opening group game in South Africa to Switzerland. “Of course we must celebrate this victory [over Germany] but we will do so with moderation. We will not be blinded by success. We will enjoy this and then start preparing for the Final,” stressed the former Real Madrid coach.

“There is nothing more difficult or precious than to win a World Cup. But we still have to play the Final. We cannot start bragging or get too conceited yet. The triumph is even bigger because of the size of the opponent. You could say Germany were less strong than expected but that was because our team did a great job. The bottom line is we played better than they expected.”

Former Dutch great Cruyff has tipped Spain to win and join Brazil (five times), Italy (four), Germany (three), Argentina, Uruguay (two each), England and France as FIFA World Cup winners. “Spain is now the great favourite. Del Bosque’s team has grown in strength and finds itself in the Final at the top of its game. Germany played football which would have been enough to beat any team, but not Spain,” said Cruyff, who played in the 1974 Final.

There is nothing more difficult or precious than to win a World Cup.

Vicente del Bosque, Spain coach

Like Spain, the Netherlands are still without a FIFA World Cup title. They reached both the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cup Finals, losing to West Germany and Argentina respectively, but coach Bert van Marwijk says his side are ready to go a step further.

“We will play for the whole of Holland,” said van Marwijk. “I do not think in terms of revenge [for those defeats]. I will watch the game without thinking about historical statistics. We haven’t experienced winning a Final and neither have Spain. Spain deserved to beat Germany, I like the way they played, we will play our way against them. We respect them, but we are not afraid of them.”

Spain and Netherlands have been competing in the FIFA World Cup since 1934 but have never met. Pre-tournament favourites after only two losses in two years – against the Swiss and USA in a 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final – Spain will retain that status. But the Dutch boast an even better record than Spain at this tournament, winning all six games. They reached the final with a 3-2 victory over tournament surprise packets Uruguay in a Cape Town clash settled by goals from Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben within four second-half minutes.

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The match stats from Germany’s 2010 FIFA World Cup™ quarter-final victory over Argentina confirmed Bastian Schweinsteiger’s emergence as the pivotal figure in the three-time world champions’ exciting young team. The midfielder played the most passes and covered the greatest distance of all the players on display, and he was also named Budweiser Man of the Match.

Schweinsteiger has blossomed on South African soil, imposing his authority on the centre of the park and orchestrating his team’s play in truly impressive fashion. The player is now determined to maintain his stellar form in the semi-finals, a replay of the UEFA EURO 2008 title decider against Spain, and lead his men through to the Final in Johannesburg. On the eve of the eagerly-awaited showdown, FIFA.com spoke to Schweinsteiger about Wednesday’s clash in Durban, his new role in central midfield, and the mood in the Germany camp.

FIFA.com: Germany comprehensively outplayed both England and Argentina, and can now claim to be one of the four best teams in the world. What’s the mood in the German camp right now?
Bastian Schweinsteiger: As you’d expect, it’s excellent at the moment, and we’re all looking forward to the semi-final.

How would you assess the way this team, Germany’s youngest at the FIFA World Cup in 76 years, has developed?
We’re carefree and bursting with flair. But we also have players who know how to calm things down and keep the ball under control. We keep playing the way we like to play right through to the last minute. We’re not satisfied just because we might be 2-0 or 3-0 up. We keep moving forward and look to get our shots away. Mind you, I don’t think anyone expected it to go quite as well as it has. In terms of footballing quality, this is the best Germany team I’ve ever played in.

I think the victories over England and also Ghana gave us a great deal of confidence. We went into the Ghana game knowing that if we lost, we were out. We played well against Australia, but our organisation wasn’t that good at times. We were much more disciplined and compact against England, and up front, we have players who are putting away their chances.

I think we’ve changed a lot since 2008. We play completely different football, but Spain have stayed practically the same. They’ve maybe not played the fantastic stuff people were expecting from them here, but they’re winning their matches.

Schweinsteiger on the semi-final

What role has Joachim Low played so far?
The coach is the undisputed boss. He and his team have prepared us superbly for every game. For example, against Argentina, we knew we could only let them play their passes up to a certain point. From there on, we were aggressive, we went looking for the ball, and then passed as quickly as possible to our front men. These tactics have brought us tremendous success twice now.

You played the whole of the 1-0 defeat to Spain in the EURO 2008 final. How do you feel abut the chance for revenge?
It obviously goes through your mind. Spain were much better than us back then, we can have no complaints. We had the chance to win a trophy, so you’re doubly angry when you’ve missed that chance. We weren’t at 100 per cent in that match, but now we have to focus on winning, knowing it would take us into the World Cup Final. Every player needs to take that to heart. It should be obvious to everyone watching that every single player wants a place in the Final.

How can you stop Spain’s world-class attacking unit, with the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and David Villa?
I think we’ve changed a lot since 2008. We play completely different football, but Spain have stayed practically the same. They’ve maybe not played the fantastic stuff people were expecting from them here, but they’re winning their matches. Great teams win even when they’re not playing well. That’s what makes Spain so dangerous.

We’re up against the best team in the world, in my opinion. But even the Spanish have weaknesses, and that’s what we have to exploit. We’ve beaten England and Argentina, and if every one of us is 100 per cent up for it, we can beat Spain too.

A wave of euphoria has swept the Germany team, and the German nation too. But you’ve won nothing yet…
Actually, I think we have won something already, which is admiration and sympathy in Germany. My goal has always been to please the fans at home, and especially the people at fan festivals. The pictures we’re seeing are unbelievable. But obviously you’re right, we’ve won nothing at all in sporting terms.

The team has come on enormously, but so have you personally. You were a wide attacking player, but now you’re a holding midfield strategist. Are you pleased about that?
I hadn’t expected it to go quite as well as this, but I always knew this was my best position. Maybe I could have made the switch two or three years ago, but there were a lot of good players ahead of me in the position at Bayern, Owen Hargreaves or Jens Jeremies for example.

The fans and the pundits reckon your performance against Argentina was your best ever. Do you agree?
I can only play well if the team plays well. That’s the most important thing to me. As for me personally, I’ve never given a perfect performance. There were situations against Argentina where I could have done better. And I’ve done well in internationals before, at the World Cup in 2006 against Portugal for one. I’m always trying for the perfect performance. That’s what motivates me. And my goal is to win trophies. That’s why I refuse to be satisfied with what we’ve achieved so far, and why I want to beat Spain. You don’t come this close to trophies very often. We have a chance, but I have enormous respect for Spain.

The loss of captain Michael Ballack to injury was a massive blow in the build-up to the FIFA World Cup, but you don’t appear to miss him now…
On the one hand, it’s a desperate shame he’s injured, especially because he has so much experience. We could have done with that here at the World Cup. But on the other hand, it’s obviously terrific to see the other players do well in his absence. Michael Ballack will be back, and I think he’ll make us even stronger, simply because of his experience.

In a recent interview, you revealed you actually have Dutch roots: your great-grandfather was from the Netherlands. Are you fond of the Oranje?
Yes, but that’s always been the case. I was a big fan of Marco van Basten. The Netherlands is only a small country, but they keep producing great players. I see it every day at Bayern. They’re aiming at perfection, and they reflect a lot on situations which arise in matches, which I like and appreciate. The Dutch have two Bayern players here at the World Cup, Mark [van Bommel] and Arjen [Robben]. Obviously, I’m hoping they make it to the Final, and hopefully we’ll have the dream pairing of Germany against Holland. I’d really like that and it would be wonderful, but we have a very tough task first with Spain.

Have you been in touch with your Dutch club-mates?
We’ve been in contact throughout the World Cup. After their brilliant trick corner routine against Brazil (Editor’s note: Robben gave the ball a slight prod and jogged away, pretending not to have taken the corner. But Dani Alves spotted the ruse and beat Van Bommel to the ball), I texted them my congratulations, because they’re always talking about it at Bayern. I thought it was hilarious, and I told them so.

A slightly odd question to round things off: Paul the octopus, a resident of the Sea Life aquatic park in Oberhausen, has been predicting the results of Germany’s games at the FIFA World Cup. Confronted with two glasses containing the national flags of the countries concerned, he picks food out of the one he foresees as the winners. And he’s been right for all five of your matches so far…
Yes, we’ve been following the octopus here in South Africa. I personally think it’s really amusing. I hope he gets it right and chooses us again this time.

Fifa.com

The unforgettable scenes of Angela Merkel passionately supporting the German national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ on home turf four years ago will live long in the memory. The German chancellor was once again in the crowd on Saturday, getting behind Joachim Low’s charges as they powered past Argentina 4-0 in Cape Town to book their place in the semi-finals of South Africa 2010.

Ahead of the match, Merkel met with South African president Jacob Zuma at his residence in Cape Town, before visiting a German-sponsored urban-violence prevention project in the Khayelitsha township. Just before the crucial clash between Argentina and Germany kicked off, Merkel took a few minutes to answer some questions from FIFA.com.

FIFA.com: Chancellor Merkel, you clearly enjoyed being a part of the FIFA World Cup fever that swept Germany four years ago. Now the tournament is being held in South Africa, what are your impressions?
Angela Merkel: I could already see from afar that the tournament had been wonderfully organised and that the atmosphere was incredible. Now I’m here I have to say that South Africa should be really proud of themselves. I told President Jacob Zuma that they’re doing a great job and that they’ve gained the respect of the whole world. It’s been a huge victory for the people of South Africa. When we look back on the tournament in the future, we’ll remember Africa in a different light.

How will the 2010 FIFA World Cup affect South Africa in the long term?
I think that it’s given the whole of Africa more confidence. In South Africa, the infrastructure has been improved considerably. There will be more possibilities for young people. It will give them courage and create jobs for the unemployed – I think it’s been a resounding success.

Joachim Low’s team have shown themselves to be a young, attacking and creative outfit. Have you been impressed?
Yes, of course (smiles). We all knew that we had a very young squad, and after Michael Ballack’s withdrawal, the team had to show even more maturity. They’ve done incredibly well. Long may it continue.

Fifa.com

Darkness fell hours ago, and the crowd’s breath rises visibly through the frosty winter air at Johannesburg’s InnesFree Park. Yet Chuma is drenched in sweat. And no wonder. For the past two-and-a-half hours, the 27-year-old has been leading friends, strangers, locals and tourists in an indefatigable display of singing and dancing at this lively FIFA Fan Fest.

“We’re singing for Ghana,” this grinning reveller tells FIFA.com. “These songs are calling on traditional African spirits, our ancestors.” With the participants spinning, chanting and waving their vuvuzelas in unison, it’s an appealing and unmistakably African display. Just as impressive, however, is the manner in which outsiders are warmly welcomed, with Spaniard Natalia among several smiling foreigners called to join in this traditional exhibition.

Asked if the experience ranks a close second to attending the match in person, she replies without hesitation. “This is better than going to the match! The stadiums are beautiful but everyone’s sitting down – the atmosphere is nothing like this.”

Looking around, it’s difficult to dispute Natalia’s logic. The drama might be taking place across the city, but the crowd at InnesFree Park provide a stirring reminder of why football is about far more than events on the field. These communal gatherings reinforce the game’s power to unite, with their appeal summed up perfectly by Papama, a young woman with a simple explanation for why she braved the cold.

This is better than going to the match! The stadiums are beautiful but everyone’s sitting down – the atmosphere is nothing like this.

One fan describes the FIFA Fan Fest’s appeal

“People,” she said succinctly. “The vibe of everyone being together is what makes this special. Some of us don’t have TVs but, anyway, you couldn’t get this kind of feeling watching the game at home. When Ghana scored, the whole place went crazy – everyone was hugging total strangers!”

Boisterously affectionate at times, this was nonetheless an atmosphere that anyone could relish. That became apparent when FIFA.com caught up with an older couple, Sid and Les Cohn, and found them beaming at the FIFA World Cup’s transformative influence on their country.

“You can’t imagine what a huge difference it has made,” said Les. “Suddenly we’re all shouting for the same thing, and whether that’s Ghana, Bafana Bafana or whoever, it doesn’t matter. We’re old enough to remember all the difficult times this country has had, so the vibe here is really special. We wanted to come along to this fan park be part of the whole event, and it’s a privilege to be here.”

This was a common feeling, and not only in Johannesburg. After all, while 2010 will be forever remembered as the year in which the FIFA World Cup came to Africa, it may also become famous for having brought the tournament to the world.

Enabling fans to experience the ‘FIFA World Cup feeling’ in their own country was certainly FIFA’s aim when it unveiled Fan Fests in Rome, Paris, Berlin, Sydney, Mexico City and Rio – and the results have been spectacular. Within the first two weeks alone, more than three million fans had packed out the 16 domestic and international venues, with those outside South Africa accounting for 50 per cent of this mammoth turnout.

Germany, whose wholehearted embrace of the Fan Fest concept in 2006 provided the spur for this expansion, have again led the way, with a record 305,000 coming together in Berlin’s Olympic Square for their group decider against Ghana. Even elsewhere, where the fluctuating fortunes of Australia, France, Italy and Bafana Bafana might have been expected to deflate the atmosphere, festivities have continued unabated.

What is clear, in InnesFree Park and around the world, is that these FIFA Fan Fests have become a unique and integral element of the FIFA World Cup experience.

There can be no underestimating the sense of expectation generated by Brazil’s quarter-final tie with the Netherlands at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday afternoon. The prospect of two sets of talented players going head to head for a place in the semi-finals at South Africa 2010 is an enticing one to say the least. And adding an extra frisson of excitement is the rivalry that these two great footballing nations have built up in their previous three meetings in the competition.

Honours have been shared in those unforgettable encounters, with both sides claiming a win apiece and the other game ending in a draw. The story began at Germany 1974, when the team dubbed the ‘Clockwork Orange’, one spearheaded by the inimitable Johan Cruyff, faced the Brazilians in the final match of the second group phase. At stake was a place in the Final itself, and it was the Dutch who claimed it through unanswered goals from Johan Neeskens and Cruyff. The match proved to be a fractious affair littered with niggling fouls, one of which earned Brazil’s Luis Pereira a red card.

Two decades later the two sides came face to face again in Dallas in the quarter-finals at USA 1994. This time A Seleção would have their revenge, though not without a scare or two along the way. Surging into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Romario and Bebeto, the Brazilians were rocked by a brave Dutch fightback, with Dennis Bergkamp and Aron Winter levelling the score before Branco rifled home a trademark free-kick to give Carlos Alberto Parreira’s side a memorable 3-2 win.

In a later interview with FIFA.com, coach Parreira identified that game as the turning point on Brazil’s run to their fourth world crown. “We were winning 2-0 and playing well and then, all of a sudden, the Netherlands came right back,” he recalled. “They had a very technical team and they never gave up either. They just kept on attacking us, which made for a fascinating game, the best of the tournament.”

The two old foes crossed paths again in the semi-finals in France four years later. And it proved to be yet another absorbing encounter, with both teams putting the emphasis on attack in front of an enraptured crowd at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome. Ronaldo opened the scoring for the South Americans, and with chances flowing at either end, Patrick Kluivert headed home to force extra time. No further goals ensued, and in the penalty decider that followed, Brazil keeper Claudio Taffarel took his side through to the Final by denying Phillip Cocu and then Ronald de Boer from the spot.

Champions elect?
When he gives his final team talk to his players on Friday, Brazil coach Dunga may well bring up that classic meeting in Dallas 16 years ago, one he took part in. Speaking exclusively to FIFA.com as part of our series of interviews with the USA 1994 winners, the battle-hardened former midfielder said: “That game meant a lot to our team because we showed a great deal of maturity. Branco had only just come into the side and yet he was the one who won us the game. That shows you how strong the team was.”

Opinion is divided in the current side as to just how decisive tomorrow’s game could be. While rampaging right-back Maicon believes the winners could well go on to lift the Trophy, team-mate Kaka is more cautious about the prospects of whoever prevails. “It’s too soon to say that the Final has come early. It’s a big game and a classic one too but there are a few other sides who are playing well and with every chance of taking the title.”

The fact remains, however, that the winners in each of those previous meetings have gone on to the Final, an omen that ought to provide both teams with a little extra motivation on Friday afternoon, not that they are likely to need it.

After a few days of reflection on their historic second-round victory over USA, Ghana captain Stephen Appiah told FIFA that the Black Stars are staying themselves: relaxed and happy to be together. Having now gone further in the FIFA World Cup™ than ever before, and with a tricky match with Uruguay up next on Friday, the Bologna midfielder reflected on the values of what he calls “a special team”.

“I am warmed by the players,” said the 29-year-old from the team’s camp outside of Rustenburg. “You can see that there is no tension, no pressure. Always with smiles, singing and laughing – stuff like that. What I’ve learnt is the more pressure you put on yourself, the more things go wrong. So, I have been telling the guys that they should be free [and that] nobody should even think about the games. Maybe a day or two before, then we have to focus on the game. But, for now, we’re relaxed, training, laughing, singing, dancing. I think that’s very important.”

Handling the world’s biggest football tournament in this way has been a consistent refrain from the Black Stars in South Africa. As they were four years ago on their finals debut, Ghana are the only African representatives in the knockout rounds, so they are obviously doing something right. And as anyone who has seen the joy and unity in their post-match celebrations can attest, togetherness is one of the team’s hallmarks – not just in word but in spirit.

Maybe a day or two before, then we have to focus on the game. But, for now, we’re relaxed, training, laughing, singing, dancing. I think that’s very important.

Appiah on the secret to the Black Stars’ success

‘I think you can see the atmosphere,” he said. “You can see the way we talk to and the respect we have for each other. We practise together, we laugh together, we do everything together. In fact, you can’t even see the difference with the lower-cut players and the professional players. I think that’s the secret. It’s the nice thing about this team.”

Grounded but with an eye on history
One of the veterans of what is the youngest team in South Africa, Appiah has been around the block a few times. He started his career with Ghanaian giants Hearts of Oak before embarking on a 13-year career, mostly in Italy’s Serie A with Udinese, Parma, Brescia and Juventus. Appiah, who also had a spell in Turkey with Fenerbahce, explained that the young Black Stars are naturally driven in a way many sides are not.

“This Black Stars team is strange,” he said. “If you go to some of the teams, if you go to their camp after a big victory like [against the US], you’ll see the players outside the lobby, drinking and going to bed late. But, in our camp, you won’t even see the players outside. After a big win you’ll see us in our room, maybe talking with our wives, with our girlfriends or friends. We will be playing cards or listening to music. I think it’s a good thing because – as I always say – with big players, you don’t see them out after a big victory. They always stay in and focus. I think it’s a good sign. The moment you think everything is going well and you start getting a cocky head, then everything goes wrong.”

But while admitting that the team are “really proud” of their achievement in becoming the third team to reach the last eight at the FIFA World Cup, matching Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2002, they are excited rather than intimidated by the opportunity that now presents itself. “I think that history is always history,” he said about reaching the last eight. “Now it’s our turn. Now that we’re there, it’s history for Ghana. We hope that we can still better it by going to the semi-final. And, for myself, it would be a great achievement because one day I would like to talk to my kids and explain to them what happened in South Africa in 2010.”

European champions Spain will bring their passing game to Cape Town for a meeting against their enigmatic rivals Portugal in what could prove to be a footballing highlight of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

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Fresh from his side’s 3-1 win over Mexico in the Round of 16, Argentina coach Diego Maradona said he will pick the right players to beat Germany in Saturday’s FIFA World Cup™ quarter-final. A double from Argentina’s Carlos Tevez, plus Gonzalo Higuain’s fourth of the tournament, sealed the win while Mexico scored a consolation goal by Javier Hernandez.

Maradona is confident his side will now beat Germany, who crushed England 4-1. “We will take stock of our situation, then we will try and put together the best team to showcase our talents against Germany,” he said.

“It will be the team to give us the guarantee to overcome Germany. We know Germany are a different team to the side we faced in Mexico. They are stronger, but we will field the right players to beat them.”

Despite struggling to qualify for South Africa, Maradona’s side have now picked up their fourth straight FIFA World Cup win and the former midfield maestro said he would dearly love to face the Germans himself.

“I feel like pulling on the jersey and playing myself, it is beautiful to be involved with this group of players, I feel proud to share these moments with them,” he said. “They said I had no idea about how to coach, but suddenly I am winning matches and I am still the same guy.”