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INTERNATIONAL SOCCER Germany 0 Spain 1: THE CLOSING ceremony at the Ernst-Happel stadium last night bore a startling resemblance to something the people behind It's a Knockout might have dreamt up. The evening's real run-around came in the 90 minutes that followed, however, with Spain outclassing Germany to lift their second European title and thus end 44 miserable years of unfulfilled expectation.

They go home as worthy champions after holding their nerve in a game they might well have won by a bigger margin. As they had throughout this tournament, they pursued their victory with enterprising and hugely entertaining football and, four years after Greece tasted success thanks to an entirely different approach, the manner of their triumph provides just cause for celebration amongst the neutrals too