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Euro 2008 Headlines
- Domenech stays on as France coach
- Spain welcomes home Euro 2008 champions
- Xavi named best player at Euro 2008
- UEFA turns attention to Euro 2012
- Euro 2008 doping tests negative
- Torres fires Spain to Euro 2008 crown
- Spanish fans celebrate victory in style
- Benitez proud of Reds striker Torres
- Fabregas waiting for euphoria to set in
- Germany coach Loew looks to the future
Spain midfielder Fabregas still waiting for Euro 2008 euphoria to set in
By CHRIS LEHOURITES,
VIENNA, Austria (AP) It took Spain 44 years to finally win another major football title, and it will take midfielder Cesc Fabregas a bit more time to let it all sink in.
The Arsenal midfielder was instrumental in getting Spain into the European Championship final, and he started Sunday in the 1-0 win.
"I don't think we're conscious yet of what we have achieved," said Fabregas, who set up two goals in the 3-0 semifinal win over Russia. "Forty-four years later we did it again."
Spain won its only major title in the 1964 European Championship at home. The team reached the 1984 final, but lost to France. Since then, the team has been given the label of perennial underachiever.
No longer.
"It's the best feeling you can have as a footballer. It's one of your dreams and I made it," said Fabregas, who was replaced by Xabi Alonso in the 63rd minute but walked around the field after the match consoling some of his German opponents, including Michael Ballack and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Although Fabregas didn't play in every minute of every match, it was the team atmosphere that coach Luis Aragones believes won Spain the title.
"We have composed the group which plays well, passes very well and is difficult to stop," Aragones said. "We work all together, those who play more and those who play slightly less. We have won in a brilliant way and we are all happy."
Spain scored the only goal of the match in the 33rd minute, when Fernando Torres took a pass from Xavi Hernandez and beat defender Philipp Lahm before shooting past goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.
"I want to win more titles and be the most important player in Europe and the world," Torres said. "It's the best moment is to score in the final."
The victory at Ernst Happel Stadium will be savored by Spanish fans for years, but Fabregas is already thinking about the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
"You can see how young we are, so hopefully in two years' time we will fight for the World Cup," he said.
Updated September 2, 2008
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