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{{Short description|Final game of the UEFA Euro 2008}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox football match
| title = UEFA Euro 2008 final
| image = Wien Ernst-Happel-Stadion (2515207333).jpg
| caption = The [[Ernst-Happel-Stadion]] in [[Vienna]] hosted the final.
| alt = Exterior view of the stadium, viewed in May 2008
| event = [[UEFA Euro 2008]]
| team1 = [[Germany national football team|Germany]]
| team1association = {{flagdeco|GER|size=30px}}
| team1score = 0
| team2 = [[Spain national football team|Spain]]
| team2association = {{flagdeco|ESP|size=30px}}
| team2score = 1
| details = 
| date = {{Start date|2008|6|29|df=y}}
| stadium = [[Ernst-Happel-Stadion]]
| city = [[Vienna]]
| man_of_the_match1a = [[Fernando Torres]] (Spain)
| referee = [[Roberto Rosetti]] ([[Italian Football Federation|Italy]])
| attendance = 51,428
| weather = Sunny<br />{{convert|27|°C|°F|abbr=on}}<br />44% [[humidity]]<ref name="ger-esp_line-ups"/>
| previous = [[UEFA Euro 2004 final|2004]]
| next = [[UEFA Euro 2012 final|2012]]
}}

The '''UEFA Euro 2008 final''' was the final match of [[UEFA Euro 2008]], the thirteenth edition of the [[UEFA European Championship|European Championship]], [[UEFA]]'s competition for national [[association football|football]] teams. The match was played at the [[Ernst-Happel-Stadion]] in [[Vienna]], Austria, on 29 June 2008, and was contested between [[Germany national football team|Germany]] and [[Spain national football team|Spain]].

The sixteen-team tournament consisted of a group stage, from which eight teams qualified for the [[UEFA Euro 2008 knockout stage|knockout stage]]. En route to the final, Germany finished second in [[UEFA Euro 2008 Group B|Group B]], with a defeat to [[Croatia national football team|Croatia]] between the wins over [[Poland national football team|Poland]] and [[Austria national football team|Austria]]. They then defeated [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]] in the quarter-finals, and [[Turkey national football team|Turkey]] in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Spain finished top of [[UEFA Euro 2008 Group D|Group D]] following three wins coming against [[Russia national football team|Russia]], [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]] and [[Greece national football team|Greece]]. They then defeated [[Italy national football team|Italy]] on [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalties]] in the quarter-finals, before securing a second victory over Russia in the semi-finals.

The final took place in front of 51,428 supporters, and was [[Referee (association football)|refereed]] by [[Roberto Rosetti]] from Italy. Spain scored the match's only goal in the 33rd minute through [[Fernando Torres]], winning 1–0 to secure their second European Championship title and their first since [[1964 European Nations' Cup|1964]]. Goalscorer Torres was named UEFA's [[Player of the match|man of the match]].

Spain's victory marked the start of a period of dominance for the team, which saw them go on to lift the [[2010 FIFA World Cup]] in South Africa, before then retaining their European title at [[UEFA Euro 2012|Euro 2012]]. As winners, Spain also qualified for the [[2009 FIFA Confederations Cup]] in South Africa as UEFA's representative.

==Background==
[[UEFA Euro 2008]] was the 13th edition of the [[UEFA European Football Championship]], [[UEFA]]'s football competition for national teams, held between 7 and 29 June 2008 in Austria and Switzerland.<ref name="Britanica">{{Cite encyclopedia | url = https://www.britannica.com/sports/European-Championship | encyclopedia = [[Encyclopædia Britannica]] | title = European Championship | date = 19 November 2020 | access-date = 10 July 2021 | first1 = Adam | last1 = Augustyn | first2 = Melinda | last2 = C. Shepherd | first3 = Yamini | last3 = Chauhan | first4 = Michael | last4 = Levy | first5 = Gloria | last5 = Lotha | first6 = Amy | last6 = Tikkanen | archive-date = 29 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210629092747/https://www.britannica.com/sports/European-Championship | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=uefasum/> [[UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying|Qualifying rounds]] were held between August 2006 and November 2007, in which fifty teams were divided into seven groups of seven or eight, playing each other on a home-and-away [[round-robin tournament]] basis. The top two teams in each group, along with the two host teams, qualified for the sixteen-team finals.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/tables/08e.html | website = [[RSSSF]] | access-date = 22 July 2021 | title = European Championship 2008 | date = 14 March 2013 | first = Marcel | last = Haisma | archive-date = 18 April 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180418141420/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/08e.html | url-status = live }}</ref> There, they were divided into four groups of four with each team playing one another once.  The two top teams from each group advanced to a [[Single-elimination tournament|knock-out phase]].<ref name=uefasum>{{Cite web | url = https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/news/025a-0ebf0dcf26ea-675f9dcb7fd6-1000--euro-2008-all-you-need-to-know/ | publisher = [[UEFA]] | title = Euro 2008: all you need to know | date = 20 February 2020 | access-date = 20 July 2021 | archive-date = 27 May 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210527115307/https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/news/025a-0ebf0dcf26ea-675f9dcb7fd6-1000--euro-2008-all-you-need-to-know/ | url-status = dead }}</ref>

[[Germany national football team|Germany]] had won the title as West Germany [[UEFA Euro 1972|in 1972]] and [[UEFA Euro 1980|in 1980]], and again [[UEFA Euro 1996|in 1996]] as Germany.<ref name="Britanica"/> In the previous international tournament, the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]], they were knocked out in [[2006 FIFA World Cup knockout stage|the semi-final]] to [[Italy national football team|Italy]], before winning the third-place play-off against [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]].  [[Spain national football team|Spain]] had advanced to the round of 16 in 2006, in which they were defeated by [[France national football team|France]].<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/tables/2006full.html | website = [[RSSSF]] | access-date = 15 July 2021 | title = World Cup 2006 – Match Details | date = 7 February 2007 | first = Hamdan | last = Saaid | archive-date = 6 December 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141206200235/http://rsssf.com/tables/2006full.html | url-status = live }}</ref> Spain had won the European Championship once before, [[UEFA Euro 1964|in 1964]].<ref name="Britanica"/> The UEFA Euro 2008 Final was the nineteenth meeting between Germany and Spain, eight of the previous matches being won by Germany, five by Spain, and six draws.  They had last faced each other in a competitive game in [[1994 FIFA World Cup Group C#Germany vs Spain|the group stage of the 1994 World Cup]], which finished as a 1–1 draw.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.11v11.com/teams/germany/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Spain/ | title = Germany national football team: record v Spain | website = 11v11 | publisher = AFS Enterprises | access-date = 16 July 2021 | archive-date = 16 July 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210716100745/https://www.11v11.com/teams/germany/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Belgium/ | url-status = live }}</ref>  [[Greece national football team|Greece]] were the defending champions after winning the [[UEFA Euro 2004 Final|2004 final]] against Portugal.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2004/3860105.stm | work = [[BBC Sport]] | access-date = 22 August 2021 | title = Greece win Euro 2004 | date = 4 July 2004 | first = Phil | last = McNulty | authorlink = Phil McNulty | archive-date = 19 February 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090219163535/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2004/3860105.stm | url-status = live }}</ref>

The final was held on 29 June 2008 at [[Ernst-Happel-Stadion]] in [[Vienna]], the largest stadium of the eight venues used in the finals of Euro 2008.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.stadiumguide.com/ernsthappel/|title=Ernst Happel Stadion – Vienna – The Stadium Guide|last=Says|first=Wojciech|website = Stadium Guide|date=14 September 2017 |access-date=9 December 2019|archive-date=27 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227031903/http://www.stadiumguide.com/ernsthappel/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d7bf22a29ef-26dfed1fc03e-1000--torres-ends-spain-s-long-wait-for-glory-in-euro-2008-final/|title=UEFA Euro 2008 – History – Germany-Spain|date=29 June 2008|publisher = [[UEFA]]|access-date=9 December 2019|archive-date=30 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930090427/https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2008/matches/round=15096/match=301696/postmatch/report/index.html#torres+ends+wait+spain|url-status=live}}</ref> Opened in 1931, the Ernst-Happel-Stadion was built for the second [[International Workers' Olympiad]]. Serving as Austria's national stadium, it had previously hosted finals of the [[UEFA Champions League]], including those [[1964 European Cup Final|in 1964]], [[1987 European Cup Final|in 1987]], [[1990 European Cup Final|in 1990]] and [[1995 UEFA Champions League Final|in 1995]]. The capacity of the stadium was increased before the tournament by the addition of temporary stands in front of the permanent stands.<ref name=":0" />

Germany were pre-tournament favourites to win the final, followed by Spain, although the latter's manager [[Luis Aragonés]] cautioned that "Nobody should be deceived by Spain because in the major tournaments we haven't done anything."<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/spain/7425206.stm | publisher = [[BBC Sport]] | access-date = 9 August 2021 | date = 2 June 2008 | title = Can Spain win Euro 2008?| first = Jonathan | last = Stevenson}}</ref>

==Route to the final==
===Germany===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;float:right;clear:right;min-width:226px"
|+ Germany's route to the final
|-
! scope="col" |
! scope="col" | Opponent
! scope="col" | Result
|- style="border-top: 2px solid black;"
! scope="row" style="text-align: center;" |{{abbr|1|First group match}}
|align="left"|[[Poland national football team|Poland]]
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 Group B#Germany vs Poland|2–0]]
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: center;" |{{abbr|2|Second group match}}
|align="left"|[[Croatia national football team|Croatia]]
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 Group B#Croatia vs Germany|1–2]]
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: center;" |{{abbr|3|Third group match}}
|align="left"|[[Austria national football team|Austria]]
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 Group B#Austria vs Germany|1–0]]

|- style="border-top: 2px solid black;"
! scope="row" style="text-align: center;" |{{abbr|QF|Quarter-final}}
|align="left"|[[Portugal national football team|Portugal]]
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 knockout phase#Portugal vs Germany|3–2]]
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: center;" |{{abbr|SF|Semi-final}}
|align="left"|[[Turkey national football team|Turkey]]
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 knockout phase#Germany vs Turkey|3–2]]
|}
Germany were drawn in [[UEFA Euro 2008 Group B|Group B]] for the tournament, alongside [[Austria national football team|Austria]], [[Croatia national football team|Croatia]] and [[Poland national football team|Poland]].<ref name="DrawAsItHappened">{{Cite web |title=Euro 2008 draw as it happened |last=Magowan |first=Alistair |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=2 December 2007 |access-date=16 July 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7106753.stm |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723080215/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/7106753.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> They faced Poland in their first game in [[Klagenfurt]], Austria, on 8 June 2008. [[Lukas Podolski]] gave Germany the lead after 20 minutes when he scored following a [[Passing (association football)|pass]] from [[Miroslav Klose]]. Podolski then added a second goal 18 minutes before the end with a [[Volley (association football)|volley]], to give Germany a {{nowrap|2–0}} victory. The win was their first in the tournament since their win over the [[Czech Republic national football team|Czech Republic]] in the [[UEFA Euro 1996 Final|Euro 1996 Final]], after they had recorded no wins [[UEFA Euro 2000|in 2000]] or [[UEFA Euro 2004|in 2004]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Germany 2–0 Poland |last=McNulty |first=Phil |author-link=Phil McNulty |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=8 June 2008 |access-date=16 July 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363058.stm |archive-date=18 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918082220/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363058.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Their second group game took place four days later against Croatia, again in Klagenfurt. Croatia took the lead after 24 minutes through [[Darijo Srna]], before [[Ivica Olić]] added a second shortly after the hour mark. Podolski scored for Germany on 78 minutes to make the score {{nowrap|2–1}}, but they had few chances thereafter and Croatia held on for the win. [[Bastian Schweinsteiger]], a German [[Substitute (association football)|substitute]], was [[Ejection (sports)|sent off]] in the 90th minute when he pushed [[Jerko Leko]] after the latter had tackled him.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Croatia 2–1 Germany |last=Bevan |first=Chris |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=12 June 2008 |access-date=16 July 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363074.stm |archive-date=30 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080530173454/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363074.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Germany concluded their group fixtures against co-hosts Austria in Vienna on 16 June needing a draw to secure their progress to the quarter-finals, while their opponents required a win.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Germany facing traditional Austria derby to qualify |work=[[France 24]] |date=16 June 2008 |access-date=16 July 2021 |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20080616-germany-facing-traditional-austria-derby-qualify-euro-2008 |archive-date=16 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716134643/https://www.france24.com/en/20080616-germany-facing-traditional-austria-derby-qualify-euro-2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> The game was settled when [[Michael Ballack]] scored from a {{convert|30|yards|m|adj=on}} [[Free kick (association football)|free kick]] in the second half to give Germany a {{nowrap|1–0}} win. They qualified as runners-up in the group behind Croatia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Austria 0–1 Germany |work=[[BBC Sport]] |first=Saj |last=Chowdhury |date=16 June 2008 |access-date=16 July 2021 |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363084.stm}}</ref>

Germany's quarter-final match was against Portugal in the Swiss city of [[Basel]] on 19 June. Germany raced into a {{nowrap|2–0}} lead in the first half hour of the game with goals from Schweinsteiger and Klose, before [[Nuno Gomes]] pulled back a goal for Portugal shortly before half-time. Ballack extended Germany's lead with a [[Header (association football)|header]] on 62 minutes, and despite [[Hélder Postiga]]'s late goal for Portugal, Germany held on for a {{nowrap|3–2}} win.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Portugal 2–3 Germany |last=McKenzie |first=Andrew |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=19 June 2008 |access-date=16 July 2021 |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363493.stm}}</ref> They returned to Basel again for their semi-final against [[Turkey national football team|Turkey]], on 25 June. Turkey had several chances in the opening 20 minutes before taking the lead on 22 minutes; [[Uğur Boral]]'s shot went under the body of goalkeeper [[Jens Lehmann]] after [[Colin Kazim-Richards]] had hit the [[Goal (sports)|crossbar]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hart |first=Patrick |title=Germany strike late against Turkey to seal EURO 2008 final place |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=25 June 2008 |access-date=16 July 2021 |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/match/301697--germany-vs-turkey/postmatch/report/ |archive-date=16 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716134643/https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/match/301697--germany-vs-turkey/postmatch/report/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Five minutes later Schweinsteiger equalised for Germany with a close-range shot. Klose scored Germany's second on 79 minutes, but Turkey equalised 7 minutes later through [[Semih Şentürk]]. With the game heading towards [[Overtime (sports)|extra time]], Germany's [[Philipp Lahm]] scored a winning goal in the 90th minute. [[BBC Sport]]'s [[Phil McNulty]] described the 3–2 victory as "barely deserved", but Germany were nonetheless through to the final.<ref name="BBCGermanyTurkey">{{Cite web |title=Germany 3–2 Turkey |last=McNulty |first=Phil |author-link=Phil McNulty |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=25 June 2008 |access-date=16 July 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363524.stm |archive-date=10 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610100922/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363524.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Spain===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;float:right;clear:right;min-width:226px"
|+ Spain's route to the final
|-
! scope="col" |
! scope="col" | Opponent
! scope="col" | Result
|- style="border-top: 2px solid black;"
! scope="row" style="text-align: center;" |{{abbr|1|First group match}}
|align="left"|[[Russia national football team|Russia]]
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 Group D#Spain vs Russia|4–1]]
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: center;" |{{abbr|2|Second group match}}
|align="left"|[[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]]
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 Group D#Sweden vs Spain|2–1]]
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: center;" |{{abbr|3|Third group match}}
|align="left"|[[Greece national football team|Greece]]
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 Group D#Greece vs Spain|2–1]]
|- style="border-top: 2px solid black;"
! scope="row" style="text-align: center;" |{{abbr|QF|Quarter-final}}
|align="left"|[[Italy national football team|Italy]]
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 knockout phase#Spain vs Italy|0–0]] {{aet}} {{pso|4–2}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: center;" |{{abbr|SF|Semi-final}}
|align="left"|[[Russia national football team|Russia]]
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 knockout phase#Russia vs Spain|3–0]]
|}
Spain played in [[UEFA Euro 2008 Group D|Group D]], joined by Greece, [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]] and [[Russia national football team|Russia]].<ref name="DrawAsItHappened"/> Their opening fixture was in [[Innsbruck]], Austria, against Russia on 10 June, in which Spain took the lead through [[David Villa]] after 20 minutes. Villa added a second on 45 minutes, following a pass from [[Andrés Iniesta]], to give Spain a {{nowrap|2–0}} half-time lead, and he then completed a [[hat-trick]] on 75 minutes, the first of the tournament. [[Roman Pavlyuchenko]] scored for Russia 4 minutes from full time, before Spain added another goal through substitute [[Cesc Fàbregas]] to complete a {{nowrap|4–1}} victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spain 4–1 Russia |last=Ornstein |first=David |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=10 June 2008 |access-date=16 July 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363430.stm |quote=Pavlyuchenko |archive-date=15 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915135451/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363430.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> In their next game, also in Innsbruck, Spain faced Sweden. Spain opened the scoring after a quarter of an hour when [[Fernando Torres]] notched a goal following [[David Silva]]'s cross. [[Zlatan Ibrahimović]] equalised for Sweden on 34 minutes, but Spain secured the win through a last-minute goal by Villa. This ensured they had qualified for the knock-out rounds with one game to spare.<ref name="news_BBCS">{{Cite web |title=Sweden 1–2 Spain |last=Bevan |first=Chris |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=14 June 2008 |access-date=16 July 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363455.stm |archive-date=16 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816071359/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363455.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Manager (association football)|Manager]] Aragonés therefore decided to rest most of his first-team players for the final game against Greece in [[Salzburg]], Austria, on 18 June. Greece, who were the tournament's defending champions, scored the first goal of the game shortly before half-time through [[Angelos Charisteas]] but goals from [[Rubén de la Red]] and [[Dani Güiza]] on 61 and 88 minutes sealed another Spanish win. They qualified as group winners, with Russia in second place.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Greece 1–2 Spain |last=McKenzie |first=Andrew |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=18 June 2008 |access-date=16 July 2021 |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363473.stm }}</ref>

Spain's quarter-final match was against Italy in Vienna, on 22 June. The first half of the game was described by McNulty as "a cautious affair, with chances and quality at a premium"<ref name="McNultySpainItaly"/> and finished goalless. In the second half, Italian substitute [[Mauro Camoranesi]] had a chance following a goalmouth scramble which was blocked by [[Iker Casillas]]. [[Marcos Senna]] then had two chances to give Spain the lead, respectively through a long-range free kick and a shot fumbled onto the post by [[Gianluigi Buffon]]. The match remained 0–0 through extra time, and went to a [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-out]]. With Spain taking their penalties first, the opening three in the shoot-out were all scored. Casillas then saved [[Daniele De Rossi]]'s kick to give Spain a 2–1 lead after two penalties each. The next two were scored, but then Buffon saved from Güiza. [[Antonio Di Natale]] had a chance to restore parity, but Casillas saved again. Fàbregas then scored to seal a 4–2 shoot-out win.<ref name="McNultySpainItaly">{{Cite web |title=Spain 0–0 Italy (4–2 pens) |last=McNulty |first=Phil |author-link=Phil McNulty |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=22 June 2008 |access-date=17 July 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363518.stm |archive-date=20 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140520214926/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363518.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Spain returned to Vienna for their semi-final on 26 June, in which they faced Russia for the second time in the tournament. The first half, played in rainy conditions, ended goalless with Torres being denied by Russia's goalkeeper [[Igor Akinfeev]] and Pavlyuchenko shooting wide from a [[Konstantin Zyryanov]] cross. [[Xavi (footballer, born 1980)|Xavi]] opened the scoring for Spain in the 50th minute after a pass from Iniesta.{{sfn|O'Brien|2021|p=348}}  Torres then missed an opportunity to score after striking a Ramos cross off-target with his knee.  In the 73rd minute, Güiza doubled Spain's lead, controlling Fàbregas's pass with his chest before striking the ball over Akinfeev.{{sfn|O'Brien|2021|p=349}}  Silva made it 3–0 in the 82nd minute with a side-footed goal from a Fàbregas cross, concluding a long series of passes by Spain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Euro 2008: Russia v Spain – as it happened |last=Ingle |first=Sean |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=26 June 2008 |access-date=27 August 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jun/26/russiaspainlive |archive-date=12 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812004724/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jun/26/russiaspainlive |url-status=live }}</ref> The win was the largest margin of victory in a semi-final in the history of the European Championship.<ref name="news_BBCS2">{{Cite web |title=Russia 0–3 Spain |last=McNulty |first=Phil |author-link=Phil McNulty |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=26 June 2008 |access-date=17 July 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363541.stm |archive-date=15 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915135456/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7363541.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Match==
===Pre-match===
Before the 2008 final, former German international [[Franz Beckenbauer]] wrote in the German newspaper ''[[Bild]]'' that he hoped "for an attractive finale with lots of goals" but said that he expected "a game of patience".{{sfn|O'Brien|2021|p=350}} Writing in ''[[The Observer]]'' before the game, journalist Duncan Castles contrasted the styles of play of the two teams, saying that game would hinge on "whether Iberian beauty can conquer German pragmatism".<ref name="theg_Senn">{{Cite web |title=Senna steals show |last=Castles |first=Duncan |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=29 June 2008 |access-date=31 August 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jun/29/euro2008.spain |archive-date=31 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831113716/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jun/29/euro2008.spain |url-status=live }}</ref> Many Spanish supporters had been pessimistic about the team's chances before the tournament, as a result of their previous lack of success, but according to Steve Kingstone of ''[[BBC News]]'', the mood in the country was much more optimistic about their prospects in the final, following the semi-final victory over Russia. The match was watched by tens of thousands of Spaniards in the [[Plaza de Colón]] in Madrid.<ref name="BBCBerlinMadrid">{{Cite web |title=Football fever grips finalists |last1=Moore |first1=Tristana |last2=Kingstone |first2=Steve |work=[[BBC News]] |date=28 June 2008 |access-date=31 August 2021 |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7479636.stm}}</ref> Tristana Moore, reporting for ''BBC News'' in Berlin, reported an "air of excitement" before the game, but noted that many Germans had not expected the team to reach the final. A "[[Football in Berlin|Fan Mile]]" was set up at the [[Brandenburg Gate]], where up to 500,000 German supporters were expected to watch the game.<ref name="BBCBerlinMadrid"/>

The referee for the game was [[Roberto Rosetti]] of [[Italian Football Federation|Italy]].<ref>{{cite news |last=McNulty |first=Phil |authorlink=Phil McNulty |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2008/7363545.stm |title=Germany 0–1 Spain |date=29 June 2008 |work=[[BBC Sport]] |access-date=20 July 2021 |archive-date=6 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806104600/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2008/7363545.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Assistant referee (association football)|assistant referees]] were Alessandro Griselli and Paolo Calcagno, also of Italy, while Sweden's [[Peter Fröjdfeldt]] was the [[fourth official]].<ref name="match_officials"/><ref name="ChaplinReferees"/> The tournament's [[closing ceremony]] took place before the final, featuring music by Spanish singer [[Enrique Iglesias]], after which the national anthems of the two teams were played.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute">{{cite news |date=29 June 2008 |access-date=17 July 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jun/29/euro2008.germanyfootballteam2 |title=Euro 2008: Germany 0–1 Spain |first=Scott |last=Murray |work=[[The Guardian]] |archive-date=17 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717105419/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jun/29/euro2008.germanyfootballteam2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===First half===
[[File:Fernando Torres Spain cropped.jpg|thumb|alt=Fernando Torres|Fernando Torres scored in the first half, the only goal in the game.]]
Spain kicked off the match at 8:45&nbsp;pm local time (6:45&nbsp;pm [[UTC]]) in temperatures of {{convert|27|°C|°F|abbr=on}} at the end of a sunny day, with 51,428 spectators in attendance.<ref name="ger-esp_line-ups"/><ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/><ref name="ger-esp report">{{cite web |url=http://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/euro/2008/Logo_MD19_301696_GER_ESP_FullReport.pdf |title=Full-time report Germany–Spain |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=29 June 2008 |access-date=9 June 2012 |archive-date=4 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204162912/http://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/euro/2008/Logo_MD19_301696_GER_ESP_FullReport.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Spain began by passing around their defence, but then lost the ball when [[Sergio Ramos]] mishit a pass which was retrieved by Klose, who ran towards the Spanish goal.<ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute">{{cite news |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=29 June 2008 |access-date=17 July 2021 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7480509.stm |title=Germany 0–1 Spain |last=Cheese |first=Caroline |archive-date=9 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080909153444/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/7480509.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Carles Puyol]] forced Klose out wide to the left, and the ball eventually went behind for a [[goal kick]].<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> Germany then had another attack on 4 minutes when Ballack's pass found Lahm in space on the left-hand side, but his cross did not reach a German attacker. On 7 minutes, Germany attacked on the left for a third time through Ballack, who took the ball past Puyol.<ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute"/> His cross looped close to the corner of the Spanish goal, but eventually passed in front of the goal without danger for Spain. ''[[The Guardian]]''{{'s}} Scott Murray commented at the time that Spain had "started very poorly indeed".<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> [[Chris Waddle]], working as an analyst for [[BBC Radio 5 Live]], commented that he had "never seen Spain play so many long balls. I don't know why they're not going through the midfield."<ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute"/> [[Thomas Hitzlsperger]] had the first shot on target of the game on 9 minutes, but it was too weak to trouble Casillas.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/>

Despite having had no meaningful attacks until that point, Spain almost took the lead on 14 minutes when Xavi found Iniesta inside the German [[penalty area]]. Iniesta fired a curling shot intended for the top-right corner of the German goal, which was [[Interception|intercepted]] by [[Christoph Metzelder]]. Metzelder's deflection almost took the ball into the left side of the goal, but Lehmann was able to fingertip the ball behind for a [[Corner kick|corner]]. They had another chance on 19 minutes when Torres won a free kick for a foul by Metzelder, but the ball was sent in too high for Torres's header to threaten Germany.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> Two minutes later, Torres hit the post with a header after Ramos had crossed to him.<ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute"/> Germany appealed for a penalty for handball on 25 minutes, when Ramos blocked a Ballack shot, but the referee deemed that it had hit his chest.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> They claimed another penalty five minutes later, when the ball hit [[Joan Capdevila]]'s hand after bouncing in the penalty area; this appeal was also denied.<ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute"/> Torres then ran into the German penalty area, but [[Per Mertesacker]] cleared behind for a corner.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/>

Spain took the lead after 33 minutes when Torres latched onto a through ball from Xavi, beat Lahm on the edge of the penalty area, and then clipped the ball over the advancing Lehmann into the left-hand corner of the goal.<ref name="UEFAMatchReport">{{Cite web |last=Haslam |first=Andrew |title=Torres ends Spain's long wait for glory in EURO 2008 final win against Germany |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=29 June 2008 |access-date=18 July 2021 |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d7bf22a29ef-26dfed1fc03e-1000--torres-ends-spain-s-long-wait-for-glory-in-euro-2008-final/ |archive-date=18 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718102054/https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/301696--germany-vs-spain/postmatch/report/?referrer=%2Fuefaeuro%2Fseason%3D2008%2Fmatches%2Fround%3D15096%2Fmatch%3D301696%2Fpostmatch%2Freport%2Findex |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRLbzpy1y8Y |via=[[YouTube]] |publisher=[[UEFA]] |access-date=18 July 2021 |title=Spain v Germany: UEFA EURO 2008 final highlights |date=16 March 2016 |time=00:00:50–00:01:00}}</ref> ''BBC Sport''{{'s}} Caroline Cheese credited Torres with "a real striker's instinct" in scoring the goal, with what she had thought had been "a half-chance, if that".<ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute"/> They almost doubled their lead two minutes later, when Iniesta crossed the ball to Silva in the German penalty area who had time and space to line up a shot.<ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute"/><ref name="UEFAMatchReport"/> He instead attempted to take the ball on the volley, and sliced it high and wide. Ballack had to leave the field for few minutes after sustaining a bloody injury to his eye in a collision with Senna,{{sfn|O'Brien|2021|p=350}} then received a [[Penalty card|yellow card]] along with Casillas for an argument following a tussle between Ballack, Iniesta and Puyol. Spain broke up the field once more in a move involving Senna, Silva, Xavi and then Iniesta, but [[Arne Friedrich]] blocked the attack and the half ended with Spain leading {{nowrap|1–0}}.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/>

===Second half===
Germany took off Lahm at half time, bringing on [[Marcell Jansen]], who took up the same position that Lahm had played.<ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute"/> The opening minutes of the second half panned out as the first half had, Germany having most of the possession but constructing few attacking moves.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> Xavi had the first shot of the half, which went wide. The referee gave a corner, from which Silva had another shot but it was also wide of the goal. Torres ran at goal a minute later, latching onto another through ball from Xavi, but Lehmann was able to claim the ball. ''BBC Sport''{{'s}} [[John Motson]] commented ten minutes into the half that Spain were "playing in the same controlling way they did in the first half", giving the opinion that Germany would "have to shuffle things around soon". Manager [[Joachim Löw]] made a change shortly afterwards, bringing [[Kevin Kurányi]] on for Hitzlsperger.<ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute"/> Ramos sent a cross into the Germany penalty area on 58 minutes, which went right across the face of the goal, but nobody was able to connect with it. Then, a minute later,<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> Germany almost equalised as Jansen capitalised on a mistake by Puyol to cross for Schweinsteiger. Schweinsteiger passed to Ballack, who volleyed towards goal, but it narrowly missed. Germany continued attacking, first through Ballack, whose cross for Kurányi was intercepted by Casillas, and then through Schweinsteiger, who fired a powerful shot which deflected wide off his team-mate Klose.<ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute"/>

Spain took off Fàbregas, described by Murray as having had "a quiet game", on 62 minutes, bringing [[Xabi Alonso]] on in his place. Podolski and Silva had a heated argument shortly afterwards, following a tackle by the latter; Ballack also became involved, but the referee did not book any of the players. Silva was taken off by Spanish manager Luis Aragonés shortly afterwards, replaced by [[Santi Cazorla]].<ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute"/> A Spanish free kick on 67 minutes was aimed towards Ramos, who headed towards goal, where it was tipped behind by Lehmann. Iniesta's shot from the resulting corner, hit from the edge of the German penalty area, was cleared off the goal-line by [[Torsten Frings]] with his knees. Iniesta fired in another shot one minute later, which Lehmann did not catch cleanly, necessitating a clearance by Friedrich. Germany had an attack on 71 minutes through a free kick into the Spanish penalty area, but Casillas was able to punch it to safety.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/>

Torres was booked for a clash of heads with Mertesacker on 73 minutes, after which he had two runs at the German goal. The first went too close to Lehmann, while the second, aimed at Alonso, was intercepted by Jansen. Germany then made another change 12 minutes before the end, in a bid to find an equaliser, [[Mario Gómez]] coming on for Klose. Spain also made a substitution, bringing Güiza on for Torres.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> Immediately after coming on, Güiza chased a long pass forward, which Lehmann came out of his penalty area to intercept. The German goalkeeper took the ball on his chest before kicking it clear, but the Spanish players claimed he had controlled it with his hand. Replays showed that the ball had hit Lehmann's arm in front of his chest, but Murray said that "it would have been a very harsh call" if the referee had penalised him.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/> Güiza was involved in another attack a minute later, taking a pass from Cazorla and heading it on to Senna in front of an open goal. He was narrowly unable to connect with it, though. Both Cheese and Murray likened Senna's miss to a similar missed chance by England's [[Paul Gascoigne]] in the semi-final of Euro 1996.<ref name="GuardianMinuteByMinute"/><ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute"/> Germany had one more chance, with the ball bouncing uncontrolled in the Spanish penalty area, but it ended when the referee penalised them for a foul. The game finished 1–0 to Spain, who thus secured their second European Championship.<ref name="BBCMinuteByMinute"/>

===Details===
<section begin=final />{{Football box
|date={{Start date|2008|6|29|df=y}}
|time=20:45 <noinclude>[[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]</noinclude>
|team1={{fb-rt|GER}}
|score={{score link|UEFA_Euro_2008_knockout_stage#Final|0–1|UEFA Euro 2008 final}}
|report=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/301696/
|team2={{fb|ESP}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
*[[Fernando Torres|Torres]] {{goal|33}}
|stadium=[[Ernst-Happel-Stadion]], [[Vienna]]
|attendance=51,428
|referee=[[Roberto Rosetti]] ([[Italian Football Federation|Italy]])
}}<section end=final />
<section begin=lineups />
{| width=92%
|-
|{{Football kit
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 |title      = Germany<ref name="ger-esp_line-ups">{{cite web |url=http://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/euro/2008/Logo_MD19_301696_GER_ESP_TactLineUps.pdf |title=Team Line-ups – Final – Germany-Spain |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=29 June 2008 |access-date=12 June 2012 |archive-date=6 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106024953/http://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/euro/2008/Logo_MD19_301696_GER_ESP_TactLineUps.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}
|{{Football kit
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 |title      = Spain<ref name="ger-esp_line-ups" />
}}
|}

{| style="width:100%;"
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; width:40%;"|
{| style="font-size:90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"|
|-
|GK ||'''1''' ||[[Jens Lehmann]]
|-
|RB ||'''3''' ||[[Arne Friedrich]]
|-
|CB ||'''17'''||[[Per Mertesacker]]
|-
|CB ||'''21'''||[[Christoph Metzelder]]
|-
|LB ||'''16'''||[[Philipp Lahm]] || || {{suboff|46}}
|-
|CM ||'''8''' ||[[Torsten Frings]]
|-
|CM ||'''15'''||[[Thomas Hitzlsperger]] || || {{suboff|58}}
|-
|RW ||'''7''' ||[[Bastian Schweinsteiger]]
|-
|AM ||'''13'''||[[Michael Ballack]] ([[Captain (association football)|c]]) || {{yel|43}}
|-
|LW ||'''20'''||[[Lukas Podolski]]
|-
|CF ||'''11'''||[[Miroslav Klose]] || || {{suboff|79}}
|-
|colspan=3|'''Substitutions:'''
|-
|DF ||'''2''' ||[[Marcell Jansen]] || || {{subon|46}}
|-
|FW ||'''22'''||[[Kevin Kurányi]] || {{yel|88}} || {{subon|58}}
|-
|FW ||'''9''' ||[[Mario Gómez]] || || {{subon|79}}
|-
|colspan=3|'''Manager:'''
|-
|colspan=3|[[Joachim Löw]]
|}
|valign="top"|[[File:GER-ESP 2008-06-29.svg|300px|alt=Germany and Spain's lineups]]
|style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|
{| style="font-size:90%; margin:auto;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
!width=25| !!width=25|
|-
|GK ||'''1''' ||[[Iker Casillas]] ([[Captain (association football)|c]]) || {{yel|43}}
|-
|RB ||'''15'''||[[Sergio Ramos]]
|-
|CB ||'''4''' ||[[Carlos Marchena]]
|-
|CB ||'''5''' ||[[Carles Puyol]]
|-
|LB ||'''11'''||[[Joan Capdevila]]
|-
|DM ||'''19'''||[[Marcos Senna]]
|-
|RM ||'''6''' ||[[Andrés Iniesta]]
|-
|CM ||'''8''' ||[[Xavi (footballer, born 1980)|Xavi]]
|-
|CM ||'''10'''||[[Cesc Fàbregas]] || || {{suboff|63}}
|-
|LM ||'''21'''||[[David Silva]] || || {{suboff|66}}
|-
|CF ||'''9''' ||[[Fernando Torres]] || {{yel|74}} || {{suboff|78}}
|-
|colspan=3|'''Substitutions:'''
|-
|MF ||'''14'''||[[Xabi Alonso]] || || {{subon|63}}
|-
|MF ||'''12'''||[[Santi Cazorla]] || || {{subon|66}}
|-
|FW ||'''17'''||[[Dani Güiza]] || || {{subon|78}}
|-
|colspan=3|'''Manager:'''
|-
|colspan=3|[[Luis Aragonés]]
|}
|}

{| style="width:100%; font-size:90%;"
|
'''Man of the Match:'''
<br />[[Fernando Torres]] (Spain)<ref name="motm">{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/01ce-0e6f6ee78b05-a89b681e302d-1000--hero-torres-completes-honours-list/|title=Hero Torres completes honours list|publisher=[[UEFA]]|date=30 June 2008|access-date=8 June 2016|archive-date=15 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215024401/https://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=728818.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

'''Assistant referees:'''<ref name="match_officials">{{cite news |title=Rosetti 'delighted' to referee final |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0254-0d7bfa1cf004-85d061337f57-1000--rosetti-delighted-to-referee-final/ |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=24 June 2008 |access-date=17 September 2014 |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723080224/https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/news/0254-0d7bfa1cf004-85d061337f57-1000--rosetti-delighted-to-referee-final/?referrer=%2fnews%2fnewsid%3d726222 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ChaplinReferees">{{cite news |last=Chaplin |first=Mark |url=https://www.uefa.com/news/0254-0d7bfcea58b7-fb50f1c4ad30-1000/ |title=Rosetti continues Italian tradition |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=28 June 2008 |access-date=21 February 2021 |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723080223/https://www.uefa.com/news/0254-0d7bfcea58b7-fb50f1c4ad30-1000/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
<br />Alessandro Griselli ([[Italian Football Federation|Italy]])
<br />Paolo Calcagno ([[Italian Football Federation|Italy]])
<br />'''Fourth official:'''
<br />[[Peter Fröjdfeldt]] ([[Swedish Football Association|Sweden]])
<br />'''Reserve assistant referee:'''
<br />Stefan Wittberg ([[Swedish Football Association|Sweden]])
<includeonly>|}</includeonly><section end=lineups />
|style="width:60%; vertical-align:top;"|
'''Match rules'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Regulations of the UEFA European Football Championship 2006/08 |url=https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/19079.pdf |publisher=[[UEFA]] |access-date=29 July 2014 |archive-date=10 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910114210/https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/19079.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
*90 minutes.
*30 minutes of [[Overtime (sports)#Association football|extra time]] if necessary.
*[[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|Penalty shoot-out]] if scores still level.
*Maximum of three substitutions.
|}

===Statistics===
[[File:Euro Cup 2008 Final Vienna.JPG|thumb|alt=Promotional display|Promotional display for the final in Vienna]]
{| class="plainrowheaders wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+Match statistics<ref name="ger-esp report"/>
|-
!width=100 |
!colspan=2 scope=col | First half
!colspan=2 scope=col | Second half
!colspan=2 scope=col | Overall
|-
!width=100 |
!width=70 | Germany
!width=70 | Spain
!width=70 | Germany
!width=70 | Spain
!width=70 | Germany
!width=70 | Spain
|-
!scope=row | Goals scored 
|| 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1
|-
!scope=row | Total shots 
|| 2 || 6 || 2 || 7 || 4 || 13
|-
!scope=row | Shots on target 
|| 1 || 3 || 0 || 4 || 1 || 7
|-
!scope=row | Ball possession 
|| 48% || 52% || 54% || 46% || 52% || 48%
|-
!scope=row | Corner kicks 
|| 4 || 3 || 0 || 4 || 4 || 7
|-
!scope=row | Fouls committed 
|| 10 || 9 || 12 || 10 || 22 || 19
|-
!scope=row | Offsides 
|| 0 || 2 || 5 || 2 || 5 || 4
|-
!scope=row | Yellow cards 
|| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 2
|-
!scope=row | Red cards 
|| 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|}

==Aftermath==
[[File:España campeón de la Eurocopa 2008 (celebración en Dublín).jpg|thumb|alt=Fans celebrating|Spanish celebrations in [[Dublin]], a few minutes after the match]]
After the trophy presentation and during Schweinsteiger's interview, the Spain team performed a [[conga line]] back and forward behind him in the {{ill|mixed zone|de|Mixed Zone}}.{{sfn|O'Brien|2021|pp=350–351}}  Aragonés left his post as Spanish manager after the final, and was succeeded by [[Vicente del Bosque]].<ref name="iris_DelB">{{Cite web |title=Del Bosque takes over from Aragones as Spanish boss |work=[[Irish Examiner]] |date=16 July 2008 |access-date=20 July 2021 |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-20067477.html |archive-date=20 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720154542/https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-20067477.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He described himself as "full of emotion" after the game, and he praised his players: "We have put together a group that plays well, that keeps the ball and mixes their passes very well and that is difficult to stop. We work hard together, those that play more and those that play slightly less, and we've managed to get there". Löw offered congratulations to Spain, saying that they were "technically excellent" and had deserved to win the match. He expressed satisfaction with Germany's performances and optimism for the future, saying "this defeat is going to be an incentive to work hard over the next two years in a number of areas and to improve".<ref name="uefa_Emot">{{Cite web |title=Emotional Aragonés bows out on a high |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=29 June 2008 |access-date=20 July 2021 |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/match/301696--germany-vs-spain/postmatch/quotes/ |archive-date=20 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720154540/https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/match/301696--germany-vs-spain/postmatch/quotes/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Xavi attributed the win to Aragonés, saying that he "took a gamble on the little guys; putting players like Iniesta, Cazorla, Fàbregas, Silva and Villa in the team. Perhaps that's a word used too often in football but the truth is that the football we played to win in 2008 was beautiful; not just the attacking side of things but how we were set up on the pitch." Torres was named as the [[Player of the match|man of the match]].<ref name="UEFAMatchReport"/>

Spain's victory marked the start of a period of dominance for the team, and the first of three successive victories in major tournaments, including the [[2010 FIFA World Cup]] in South Africa, and then the retention of their European title at [[UEFA Euro 2012|Euro 2012]].<ref name="BBCThreeInaRow"/> Analysts attributed their success in part to a style of play called [[tiki-taka]], which had been introduced by Aragonés and was continued by Del Bosque.<ref name="TikiTakaGuardian2012">{{Cite web |title=Euro 2012: Spain will remain true to Vicente Del Bosque's tiki-taka |last=Lowe |first=Sid |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=8 June 2012 |access-date=31 August 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2012/jun/08/euro-2012-spain-vicente-del-bosque |archive-date=31 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831111414/https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2012/jun/08/euro-2012-spain-vicente-del-bosque |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="BleacherTikiTaka">{{Cite web |title=Spain's Tiki-Taka Dynasty Is 2 Games Away from Achieving True Greatness |last=Tidey |first=Will |work=[[Bleacher Report]] |date=27 June 2012 |access-date=31 August 2021 |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1236994-spains-tiki-taka-dynasty-is-two-games-away-from-achieving-true-greatness |archive-date=31 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831111413/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1236994-spains-tiki-taka-dynasty-is-two-games-away-from-achieving-true-greatness |url-status=live }}</ref> This style prioritises short passing, maintaining possession for long periods and patience.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The definitive story of how Aragonés led Spain to Euro 2008 glory |last=Lowe |first=Sid |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=2 July 2008 |access-date=31 August 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2008/jul/02/thedefinitivestoryofhowar |archive-date=18 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140218225414/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2008/jul/02/thedefinitivestoryofhowar |url-status=live }}</ref> The tiki-taka style was also adopted by [[Pep Guardiola]] with Spanish club [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]], who achieved success in domestic and European competition in the same period.<ref name="BleacherTikiTaka"/> After the 2012 victory, McNulty wrote that the team were contenders for the greatest national team of all time. Citing their "ultimate combination of silk and steel", with the "Barcelona 'carousel' of Xavi and Andres Iniesta augmented by Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso in midfield", McNulty opined that "it would have to be a very powerful argument against Spain" being the greatest.<ref name="BBCThreeInaRow">{{Cite web |title=Are Spain the best team of all time? |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=2 July 2012 |access-date=20 July 2021 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18669029 |archive-date=3 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203142901/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18669029 |url-status=live }}</ref> Author Jonathan O'Brien opined that the victory marked "Spain's spectacular metamorphosis from underachieving weaklings to the best team in Europe.  They exuded flair, pace, a killer instinct – and a rough edge".{{sfn|O'Brien|2021|p=351}} Germany reached the semi-finals of the 2010 and 2012 tournaments under Löw, before eventually being successful with a win at the [[2014 FIFA World Cup]] in Brazil.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/joachim-low-10-things-on-germany-s-world-cup-winning-coach-8330 | publisher = [[Bundesliga]] | title = Joachim Löw: 10 things on Germany's World Cup-winning coach | access-date = 5 September 2021 | archive-date = 1 September 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210901170852/https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/joachim-low-10-things-on-germany-s-world-cup-winning-coach-8330 | url-status = live }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Germany at the UEFA European Championship]]
*[[Spain at the UEFA European Championship]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*{{Cite book| title = Euro Summits: The Story of the UEFA European Championship | first = Jonathan | last = O'Brien | publisher = Pitch Publishing | isbn= 978-1-78531-849-8 | year= 2021| location= [[Worthing]]}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Final of the 2008 UEFA European Championship}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111116162621/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2008/index.html UEFA Euro 2008 official website]

{{UEFA Euro 2008}}
{{UEFA Euro 2008 finalists}}
{{UEFA European Championship}}
{{Germany national football team matches}}
{{Spain national football team matches}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Uefa Euro 2008 Final}}
[[Category:UEFA Euro 2008|Final]]
[[Category:UEFA European Championship finals|2008]]
[[Category:Germany national football team matches|UEFA 2008 Final]]
[[Category:Spain national football team matches|UEFA 2008 Final]]
[[Category:Spain at UEFA Euro 2008|UEFA]]
[[Category:Germany at UEFA Euro 2008|UEFA]]
[[Category:2000s in Vienna]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Vienna]]
[[Category:Germany–Spain sports relations|2008]]
[[Category:June 2008 sports events in Europe]]