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A sense of quiet satisfaction

Madrid: There was a sense of quiet satisfaction across Spain late on Saturday, as a result of the triumph in the European under-21 football championship.

The Spanish youngsters beat Switzerland 2-0 in Aarhus, Denmark, earlier on Saturday, with Ander Herrera of Athletic Bilbao and Thiago of Barcelona scoring the crucial goals.

The triumph completes a historic three-year cycle of victories for Spain which have left Spanish football as the undisputed master of Europe and the world.

“This is a continuation of the previous triumphs,” said former Spain manager Jose Antonio Camacho whilst commenting on the final on television.

“First came 2008 (when Spain triumphed at Euro 2008), then 2010 (Spain's first World Cup win) and now this. I am really happy at this.”

According to Camacho — who managed Spain from 1998 to 2002 — the common factor in these triumphs is “playing the Spanish way: with patient passing and possession, taking care of the ball.”

The final was followed on television by almost 6 million Spaniards, which is far and away a record for an under-21 match in Spain.

The website of sports daily Marca called it “a very important and satisfying win,” whilst Radio Marca said that “the future of Spanish football seems to be very bright.”

The AS website, for its part, mentioned the “triumph of tiqui-taca,” as Spain's short-passing style is affectionately known.

Madrid radio station Cadena SER, meanwhile, was fulsome in its praise of under-21 manager Luis Milla, who played for Barcelona, Real Madrid and Valencia in the 1990s.

Cadena SER aired the possibility that Milla could now be in line to take over from national manager Vicente del Bosque when the latter decides to retire, either after Euro 2012 or after the 2014 World Cup. — DPA

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