And mind you, it took a little while before we had a winner.

Exhausted and out of breath, the players knew just one goal would be enough to win the elusive 2010 FIFA World Cup for their nation.

As the clock ticked toward penalty kicks, the shivering crowd at Soccer City Stadium grew anxious. Spain or the Netherlands would win its first championship. That is if somebody can find the back of the net.

Andres Iniesta did, and Spain rules the soccer world at long, long last. “We have all done an incredible job,” Andres Iniesta said Sunday night, shortly after the 1-0 extra-time victory. “I don’t think we even realize what we have done.”

They beat the Netherlands on Sunday to go one better than the European title Espana won in 2008. Spain won its last four games by a score of 1-0 — a tight margin that characterized the month-long tournament. The World Cup featured a record 31 one-goal decisions out of 64 matches — four more than the previous high set in 2002, according to STATS LLC.

This final was a physical test of attrition that sometimes turned dirty — a finals-record 14 yellow cards were handed out and the Dutch finished with 10 men. In the end, it was Iniesta breaking free in the penalty area, taking a pass from Cesc Fabregas and putting a right-footed shot from 8 yards just past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg with about seven minutes left to play, including…

Can they avoid stumbling in the end again?

The Netherlands rallied through qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with a perfect record, winning all eight of its qualifiers whilst scoring 17 goals and conceding only two. They finished 2009 ranked third in the FIFA World Rankings, but the concern is that this is a side that some times suffers inexplicable defeats.

In Euro 2008, for example, Netherlands looked almost unstoppable after winning their group games by scores of 3-0 over Italy, 4-1 over France and 2-0 over Romania. Yet in the quarterfinals they suffered a shock 3-1 loss to Russia after extra time. In 2009, there were no losses for the Dutch, however. They won six matches and drew four, scoring 18 and conceding only four goals.

The Netherlands are traditionally among the most technically proficient teams in the game and their passing can be a thing of beauty, but it’s the cutting edge they will be looking for in South African in 2010.

Assistant coach Frank de Boer, their second most capped player of all time, told the FIFA website: “We have a mission: that mission is to be champions of the world.” They have the players to do it. What they will need in South Africa will be consistency throughout the month-long tournament.

If there’s one clear advantage that the Netherlands has…

2010 WORLD CUP TEAMS
Can they avoid stumbling in the end again?
The Netherlands rallied through qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with a perfect record, winning all eight of its qualifiers whilst scoring 17 goals and conceding only two. They finished 2009 ranked third in the FIFA World Rankings, but the concern is that this [...]

2010 WORLD CUP TEAMS
Can they keep their momentum going in South Africa?
Paraguay started qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup strongly and led the South American standings for some time. They needed that strong start because they struggled in 2009, returning an overall record of four wins, six defeats and two draws. Nonetheless, they finished [...]

2010 WORLD CUP TEAMS
Chile enjoyed an impressive qualifying campaign for South Africa 2010.
Finishing second among the 10 South American teams, Chile is behind only to five-time champions Brazil, a team ranked second in the world overall coming to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Last year, Chile included an outing against South Africa in Polokwane [...]

2010 WORLD CUP TEAMS
Brazil has and always will be a favorite in any international football tournament.
With their superb record of being the only country to contest every World Cup, being five-time winners, twice runners-up, and beaten in the semi-finals three times, Brazil will rightly be regarded as one of the favorites to lift the 2010 [...]

Can they keep their momentum going in South Africa?

Paraguay started qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup strongly and led the South American standings for some time. They needed that strong start because they struggled in 2009, returning an overall record of four wins, six defeats and two draws. Nonetheless, they finished third on the log, only two points behind top of the table Brazil, and behind Chile on goal difference only.

Those 12 matches did at least reveal that Paraguay has a sound defense as they never conceded more than two goals. Then again, they never scored more than two goals in a game.

The last time Paraguay played in the World Cup in 2002, South Africans fans might remember how they edged out Bafana Bafana for a place in the second round by scoring three goals in the second half of a 3-1 win over Slovenia. That saw the South Americans advance with the same goal difference as South Africa, but having scored more goals: 5-5 to SA’s 4-4.

Gerardo Martino, a former Argentina international, Martino replaced the Uruguayan, Anibal Ruiz. His knowledge and success while coaching Paraguayan clubs made him the best man for the job.

Martino says: “In the national team, you work for two possibilities…”

Chile enjoyed an impressive qualifying campaign for South Africa 2010.

Finishing second among the 10 South American teams, Chile is behind only to five-time champions Brazil, a team ranked second in the world overall coming to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Last year, Chile included an outing against South Africa in Polokwane which Chile convincingly won 2-0 with South African-born winger Mark Gonzalez playing a starring role.

During the World Cup, much will depend on a trio of former Colo-Colo players who have since moved on to top European clubs – Matias Fernandez, now with Sporting Lisbon; Humberto Suazo, now with Real Zaragoza; and Alexis Sanchez, now with Udinese. Fernandez provides quality in the midfield and Suazo and Sanchez the finishing up front.

Chile is a young team with few players having reached 30 years of age. Yet, despite their relative youth, they’re experienced playing away from home, both in South American qualifying and in matches in preparation for the World Cup.

After a strong showing in qualifying and having last made it to the World Cup in 1998, when striker Marcelo Salas led the way, Chile will have high expectations of themselves. They’re a dark horse team that deserves some respect.

They are highest ranked team apart from Spain in Group H, and could well pose the Spanish some problems having finished in second place in the South American qualifying group, ahead of the likes of Argentina and Uruguay.

As a team, they look like a strong unit, with…

The 2010 World Cup begins on Friday, June 11th as the host country South Africa takes on Mexico.

A total of 32 teams will be competing for the 2010 FIFA World Cup title with Spain and Brazil the two favorites. There have been a total of 18 World Cups in history and only seven teams have ever won the title. Four years ago it was Italy winning the World Cup as they defeated France in a penalty shootout.

There are really only five teams that are serious contenders to win this year’s World Cup. Spain is loaded with talent and they have an easy group with Switzerlands, Honduras and Chile. With players like Fernando Torres, David Villa, Xaba and Cesc Fabregas, the Spanish team has the talent to win their first World Cup betting .

The only concern for Spain is that they could face a tough round of 16 match against the second place team from Group G which should be Brazil or Portugal. Brazil is the likely winner of Group G but if they somehow slip and finish second, wouldn’t it be a huge shock to have the two favorites, Brazil and Spain playing in the round of 16?

Brazil has won the World Cup a total of five times and they are a real threat to win it again this year. They play in a tough group with Portugal and Ivory Coast but they should not have any trouble advancing to the round of 16 especially since Ivory Coast probably has no chance now that leading scorer Didier Drogba is out with an injury.

England is the third choice in the betting odds behind Spain and…

The 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off June 11 in South Africa with a match between the host side and France.

You read it, the 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off in style and that doesn’t stop until July 11 with the final at Soccer City in Johannesburg.

It’s going to be a fantastic month of soccer drama and we couldn’t be more excited at Bodog’s online sportsbook.

While the 2006 World Cup in Germany was big for us, so much has changed since then, and we anticipate smashing all our previous soccer betting records in terms of handle and wagers made.

Why are we preparing for one of the busiest betting periods in our history? For starters, the popularity of soccer continues to grow in North America. I’m not talking about the MLS, but rather the following of the world’s elite leagues and players. We can thank the internet for a lot of that.

No other development has been more crucial to the spreading of the Beautiful Game’s gospel in the United States and Canada, where fans not too long ago were forced to search high and low for soccer coverage from traditional media. Now fans can get everything they need simply by logging on. Remember, four years ago YouTube was barely a year old. Think how far the Internet’s come since then in terms of things like streaming of video.

From a betting standpoint, the wagering options at Bodog have…