Euro 2008 ended with a quiet finale, with Spain beating the Germans 1-0. The two best teams in Europe met in a jam-packed stadium on a lovely evening filled with happiness and an air of friendliness. The same attitudes were carried onto the pitch and it was one of the cleanest finals ever played.

The tournament was one of the best played with little trouble off the field and fair play on it. The credit goes to the hosts as well as to the UEFA body for being able to bring in the discipline without taking away the charm of the game.

There were a few gains for the football world with the emerging of man-of-the-tournament Xavi. Not a household name for most fans around the world but the Barcelona midfielder definitely got his recognition during Euro 2008. He scored only once in five games for Spain, but that is not the criterion. His presence was really the difference between the under-achieving Spanish team of the recent past and the Euro winners of 2008.

Xavi definitely represents the Spanish style of play with great skill in the midfield and ball movement. If the Italians are known for their defence, Spanish teams have always been known for their ball movement and penetration with pin-point passes from the midfield.

Xavi is the holding player for the Spanish team for now. It is a difficult task as Spain finally have two big strikers in Fernando Torres and David Villa who need the ball in front of them to get goals. Not forgetting the support that Cesc Fabregas provides.

Spain have finally found a future in their finishers and need a player like Xavi to develop even further and become something like Zinedine Zidane was for France. If he is able to mould into that role, Spain could well be the next world champions.