From 1648 to 2010, Its Spain v Holland, For the World Cup Final

In the 15th century the idea of Spain was synonymous with empire. While Spain once ruled the world, or at least became the first European colonial power - in the modern era, with football coming into international popularity at the turn of the 19th century, Spain, the nation, the idea, has never dominated world football, until now?

In Real Madrid and Barcelona and deeply profound footballing culture across the country, dominated by strong regional identities, what can now be described as ‘the Spanish approach’ has gained ascendancy in international football. In La Liga, Spain has the most talented league in modern day world football. Interestingly, the Spanish approach has much to do with their Dutch connection and links between Dutch notions of Total Football in the 1970s and the arrival of Johan Cruyff from Ajax, Amsterdam to Barcelona FC in 1973.

Spain and Holland have an incredibly long and intertwined history dating back to the 15th century. The Spanish empire’s sphere of influence spread to the Netherlands and was only broken by the Dutch War of Independence, also known as the Eighty Years War which concluded with the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. This Dutch revolt, as it was called, was partly successful with the secession of seven provinces which formed the early Dutch Republic.

In 1652, Jan van Riebeeck of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), landed in Cape Town, at the tip of Africa, to take command of an established base, fortifying the trade route around the Cape of Good Hope, between the Netherlands and the so-called East Indies. The Dutch era of settler colonialism interestingly, unlike the British Empire several hundred years later, was less about the expression of a nation state but more centred around the pre-modern international corporation – the VOC.

As Spain and Holland compete to be crown World Champions tomorrow, the irony is too rich to think about the links between that the middle era global capitalism and the centrality of the corporation, the VOC, and post-modern day capitalism and its global corporate footprint in Africa, namely FIFA. The VOC was the advanced articulation of international capital at the time in the 17th century. Today in 2010, as capital surges from crisis to crisis, the ultimate articulation of the cultural expression of modern day neo-liberalism finds expression again at the tip of Africa, through FIFA and mega-staging of the World Cup.

So as van Riebeeck arrived in the Cape of Good Hope in 1652 for VOC, so does FIFA arrive today and on its final stage a contest between Spain and Holland – whose early links are interwoven with the narrative of Europe's first settlement in South Africa. Almost 360 years later, we now witness the conquest of world played out again on this southern African stage between countries and cultures which have a a connected history both in a world historical sense and in a footballing sense.

The history between the two nations in a footballing sense goes back to the 1970s and the arrival of Johan Cryuff at Barcelona in 1973. One of the questions being asked is whether 2010 will mirror 1973 as we see a hand over of sorts, of the Total Football mantle from the Dutch to the Spanish. Cryuff never far from controversy writing in his column in El Periodico de Catalunya, this week is definitive.

Following the Spanish semi-final victory over Germany on Wednesday, he made clear how he feels about the two countries today in terms of footballing philosophy. "Spain is a replica of Barca and is the best publicity for football. Who am I supporting? I am Dutch but I support the football that Spain are playing." Apparently for Cryuff, if the Dutch win the World Cup playing mediocre, enduring football, as opposed to the Spanish approach, it will be bittersweet.

What the Spanish have come to represent in this tournament is patient, controlling, possession football. The Spanish are not overly eager to attack in the direct fashion played by the leading advocates of British football. Also unlike the Italians and previously other quality football sides more synonymous with a defensive brand, the Spanish are not content to sit back.

Based on the Barcelona model, the Spanish approach seeks to move forward and probe their opponent, they pass and move always keeping shape and defending from the front. The approach has tremendous balance and interchanging parts in the midfield in the form of Xava and Iniesta who keep things ticking along. They also have players capable of inspiration with the likes Villa and to certain extent Torres, although there is no evidence as yet of his 2008 European Championship or club form in this 2010 Championships.

Spain, on paper and on fair reflection have played the most technically correct, attractive and effective football. However in becoming 1-0 masters, there remain doubts and those, like me, who are unconverted to this new Catholicism that Spain is simply the best – the Brazil of Europe and the modern day expression of the Dutch invented Total Football.

On form, Spain has to be favorites to win the final. Holland’s 2010 brand of football owes less to the Total Football legacy of their forefathers – Cruyff and Han, and more to a modern day pragmatism always linked to the German approach. The Germans traditionally won matches by being as good as their opponents technically, but by out enduring them psychologically and physically. The Germans historically always seemed to win their matches on the basis of some deeper will to succeed.

I think there is evidence of this approach in the modern Dutch squad. In Van Bommel and Robben, they have two Bayern Munich stalwarts who won’t shirk from a challenge or a tackle, unless Robben is diving to allude one, and are prepared to try and take the match by the scruff of the neck. In Robben and this time Sneider, they have consistently proven big match temperament players who over the course of this tournament and this past club season have proven their worth, Sneider in particular in achieving a treble with Inter Milan.

One would hope that the Dutch have learned lessons from the mistakes of Portugal and Germany and will seek to deny the Spanish the luxury of possession. The difficulty is, Holland have not shown their ability to keep possession as well as the Spanish. I contend that Holland is only good enough to beat Spain over one half of football. If you review the Uruguay match and the Brazil match, Holland only dominated for one half. In both these matches, the Dutch went through the gears in the second half that raised their game, created chances and goals and led to the defeat of their opponents. But they only managed to really dominate over the second 45 minutes. If Holland can deny Spain in the first half, then all bets are off and Holland can win the match.

However, if the match plays out to a Spanish script, then it will be Spanish possession, possession, possession leading either to crafting a goal or creating enough of a chance or luck to ensure a goal comes, like the Portugal and Paraguay matches. If the Spanish take an early lead, Dutch efforts to press will be stifled by the Spanish continuing to choke possession. If Holland scores first, the Spanish probing will have to become more pressing and urgent and space will open up the field for counter attacks. In this scenario we could be in for one classic final. An early goal will avoid the match descending into a stalemate. Let's hope its won before the lottery of penalties.

Soccer City has been a superb home to this championship, a first time post-modern secular African Soccer Cathedral. As I return to Soccer City for the last time for the 2010 World Cup, I am filled with great memories from the opening match of Bafana Bafana v Mexcio and Siphwe Tshabalala’s wonder goal to the Messi inspired Argentina demolition of South Korea to the infamous Suarez handball and painful Gyan’s penalty miss of last week. May Sunday bring us more indelible memories, a new articulation and expression of the beautiful game, a new first time World Cup Champion, crowned in Africa, a triumph for football history and African hospitality.