A spot of Andres Iniesta magic and a late David Villa strike lifted profligate Barcelona to a 2-0 home win over competition newcomers Viktoria Plzen in Champions League Group H on Wednesday.
Barcelona have decided to appeal UEFA's proposal to ban Andres Iniesta for one Champions League match for deliberately collecting a yellow card.
Tennis ace Rafael Nadal pipped star footballers Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta to clinch the World Sportsman of the Year, whilst the World Cup winning Spanish football side expectedly walked away with the World Team of the Year trophy at the Laureus World Sports Awards night in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Spain gloried in a first World Cup triumph that finally buried their decades-old tag of international underachievers, but it was more agony for the Netherlands after a third defeat in the final.
Andres Iniesta took his penchant for scoring dramatic goals to new heights on Sunday when the midfielder smashed home the winner deep into extra time to give Spain their first World Cup triumph.
Spain must ignore external criticism and show faith in the playing style that has served them so well for Friday's showdown against Group H leaders Chile, according to midfielder Andres Iniesta.
Spain will enter the World Cup fray with a swagger despite question marks over the fitness of Fernando Torres and Andres Iniesta when they face Switzerland in their opening Group H match on Wednesday.
A World Cup soccer final disfigured by cynical Dutch thuggery was partially redeemed in extra time by the swift reflexes of Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta.
With Barcelona already through to the Champions League last 16 as Group D winners, Pep Guardiola gave several young players from the club's academy a chance against Rubin Kazan on Tuesday and they did not disappoint.
Spain's World Cup winners Xavi and Andres Iniesta were joined by holder Lionel Messi on an all-Barcelona shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d'Or announced on Monday.
World Cup winners Spain have seven players featured in a 23-man shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d'Or unveiled by soccer's governing body and France Football magazine on Tuesday.
David Villa equalled Raul's Spain scoring record of 44 but the world and European champions had to withstand a Scotland fightback before Fernando Llorente's late goal secured a 3-2 win in a Euro 2012 qualifier on Tuesday.
Russian side Rubin Kazan continued to frustrate Barcelona by holding the Spanish side to a 1-1 draw in Champions League Group D on Wednesday.
A Xavi free kick and an exquisite lob from Lionel Messi fired Barcelona to a 2-0 win at Sevilla that cut Real Madrid's lead at the top of La Liga back to seven points on Saturday.
Barcelona seized control of their Champions League quarter-final against Shakhtar Donetsk when an early Andres Iniesta strike paved the way for a 5-1 first-leg victory at the Nou Camp on Wednesday.
David Villa struck just after halftime to lift champions Barcelona to a laboured 1-0 home win over his former club Sporting Gijon in La Liga on Wednesday.
Reigning champions Spain left it late but Gerard Pique's 87th-minute header earned them a deserved 1-0 victory over a dogged Czech Republic in their Euro 2016 Group D opener on Monday.
Barcelona striker David Villa has said that he will do everything he can to persuade Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas to join him at the Nou Camp.
The World Cup has been a great showcase for the game. There have been many a high and low points in the tournament. We bring you the heroes and villains that grabbed the headlines over the last month.
David Villa and Wesley Sneijder, with five goals each, head the list of the goal scorers at the 2010 World Cup.
Spain owe a large debt of gratitude to their World Cup final opponents Netherlands because of the strong Dutch influence at Barcelona down the years, according to midfielder Sergio Busquets.
Barcelona cranked up the pressure on Real Madrid by moving seven points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday after sweeping aside Racing Santander 3-0 at the Nou Camp.
The list of candidates to win the 2009 Ballon d'Or award was reduced to 10 men on Sunday, with Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi the overwhelming favourite.
Lionel Messi celebrated a second successive World Player of the Year award with a hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed second division Real Betis 5-0 in a King's Cup quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.
Argentina's Lionel Messi was named World Player of the Year for the second time in a row on Monday, surprisingly beating his Barcelona team mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi.
Barcelona's Xavi, Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta are on the shortlist for the first FIFA Ballon D'Or award for the best player in the world to be presented on Monday at a ceremony that gets bigger by the year.
Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta stepped up his recovery from a minor thigh muscle strain on Saturday but remains a doubt for the European champions' opening Group H match on June 16.
Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol scored to help Barcelona to a 2-1 comeback victory at home to Valencia on Saturday, but it was Real Madrid who moved to the top of La Liga with a 4-1 win in Malaga.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola named injury concerns Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta in his starting team to play Manchester United in the Champions League final on Wednesday. United central defender Rio Ferdinand was also included in the starting lineup after shaking off a calf injury.
Chelsea, and particularly striker Didier Drogba, are likely to be in big trouble with UEFA after chaotic scenes marred the end of Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge. Andres Iniesta's stoppage-time equaliser for a 1-1 draw sent Barcelona through on the away goals rule and sent Drogba round the bend.
So Spain are the new World champions. The 'tick-tackers', known as the best passers in the game, outlasted the Netherlands in a game that can be best described as scrappy.
In the face of tough Dutch opposition, Spain were unable to produce the eye-pleasing soccer that has been the hallmark of their rise to the pinnacle of the game but kept their cool to take their first World Cup title with yet another 1-0 win.
Images from the 2010 World Cup final between Spain and Netherlands in Johannesburg, on Sunday.
Andres Iniesta's goal deep into extra-time to give Spain the World Cup for the first time after a 1-0 win over the Netherlands in Sunday's final.
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo was given a chance to defend his World Player of the Year title on Monday when he was named on the shortlist for this year's accolade.
Spain defender Carles Puyol stepped up to become the unlikely hero in their 1-0 World Cup semi-final win against Germany on Wednesday in a team packed with talent such as David Villa and Andres Iniesta.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will resume their perennial battle to be crowned the world's best footballer after they headed the shortlist of 30 players for the 2016 Ballon d'Or announced on Monday.
It took cool heads, impeccable technique and a dash of brilliance for Spain to achieve what no one else has done at this World Cup and beat a side from South America.
An inspired David Villa scored one sublime goal and created another for Andres Iniesta as European champions Spain beat 10-man Chile 2-1 and advanced to the last 16 of the World Cup on Friday.
Midfielder Andres Iniesta is a doubt for Spain's World Cup opener against Switzerland after a scan on his right thigh, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) said on Wednesday.
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