Whenever a discussion on the best soccer team of all-time arises, it is generally one team that will be in the forefront - the Brazil team of 1970.
However, after the majestic performance in the Euro 2012 by Spain, which became the first ever side to win successive European Championships and three straight major tournaments, the 1970 Brazil team might have some serious competition.
The Brazil side inspired by the greatest ever soccer player in Pele won the World Cup in 1970, also beating Italy, not quite 4-0, but close at 4-1. That wonderful team which had the likes of Carlos Alberto, scorer of the famous goal laid out by Pele, Jairzinho, Tostao, Gerson and Rivelinho were considered the incomparable side in the game of soccer.
Coming into the best ever team bracket also include the 1958 Brazil team, where a 17-year-old Pele announced himself to the rest of the world. The 1986 Argentina team is known more for the single-handed brilliance of Diego Maradona, rather than as a group. The France team of 1998 and 2000, which went on to win the World Cup and Euros with the inspirational Zinedine Zidane in imperious form. The Dutch team in the 70s, led by Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels, who introduced Total Football, were great. However, they never won a World Cup, came close twice, but fell in the final hurdle.
You need to be winners to be considered the greatest ever; that is an unfortunate but necessary pre-requisite. Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Roger Federer would not be great, if they were not winners.
The same goes for soccer teams. Spain are winners - Sunday proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. But are they more? Is this team going to be talked about for years to come?
On evidence of the Euro 2012 final against Italy, they most certainly are. Any doubts about this Spanish team's greatness were put to rest emphatically by that display in the final.
Many people called them boring. Asked them to change the way they play their game. How can a team have the audacity to play without a recognized striker?
But, this is what great teams do. They stick to what they know and have infinite belief in their capabilities. They back themselves to succeed. If Sunday's performance by Spain was boring, then it would be difficult to see an entertaining soccer game ever!
They beat Italy by four goals, the biggest ever margin in a European final. They also did it with such ease, that it would not have been unflattering had it been by more. You do not need strikers when you have the creative and goal-scoring capabilities of Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, Andres Iniesta and Xavi.
These are artists we saw on the field; 11 pieces of a symphony that had the Italians on their knees from minute one. Spain had to wait 44 years to win a major tournament. Now they have a total of three in the space of four years.
Spain have not conceded in a knockout match in the past three tournaments. They have qualified with a perfect record in the last two qualifying campaigns. This team is not just about attacking; they do not give up goals. This is a team that never lose. They are a team with a capital TEAM.
Xavi and Iniesta, who along with Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos have started all three finals, will go down in history as two of the greatest ever big-match players. Come a final, come a knockout one of the two invariably steps up. In Sunday's final, it was both of them. Iniesta, who scored the winner in the 2010 World Cup final, created the first, Xavi the second.
Such is Spain's strength that Fernando Torres, who started only two matches, went home with the Golden Boot, after scoring one in the final, to take his total tally to three, and also grabbing an assist.
Jordi Alba's second goal was on par with Carlos Alberto's defining strike in 1970. Instead of Pele playing a perfectly weighted pass, it was another name with four letters - Xavi. Running onto the peach was Alba, whose control and finish would have made any striker in the world proud.
Comparing teams of different eras is a difficult if not impossible task. However, Spain showed on Sunday, making a case against them not being the greatest, is next to impossible.
