The light touch of the Spanish tikatoka was backed by the dark arts of the aging Puyol and the youthful Ramos. Both had picked up yellows before de Jong got his. A lesser referee could have found reason to give either a second card.

Webb gave the players the game they wanted as good referees do. He avoided an officiating fiasco like the 2006 final.

Fouls are part of the game. They are not cheating.

The game is won by the number of balls in the back of the nets, not by time of possession or completed passes. As they say, "The ball is round. The game is ninety minutes. Everything else is just theory."