They were champions of Europe and then they became champions of the world. Spain captured football’s Holy Grail for the first time with a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands thanks to Andres Iniesta’s 116th-minute strike at Soccer City.
The solitary goal came – five years to this day – with penalties looming as substitute Cesc Fabregas played in Iniesta and the little midfielder drove emphatically across Maarten Stekelenburg and into the far corner.
With this victory – their fourth successive single-goal win in South Africa – Spain became the eighth name on the World Cup Trophy and also the first European team to have triumphed on a different continent.
Other memorable events to happen on this day…
1924: Eric Liddell won the gold medal in 400m at the 1924 Paris Olympics, after refusing to run in the heats for 100m, his favoured distance.
1930: Australian cricketer Donald Bradman scores a world record 309 runs in one day, on his way to the highest individual Test innings of 334 against England.
1987: Baltimore Orioles’ Cal Ripken becomes the first to manage two sons, as Billy joins Cal Jr.
2012: Steve Nash is traded by the Phoenix Suns to the LA Lakers.