Which team did Spain defeat in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final?

Which team did Spain defeat in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final? The Netherlands.

Spain won the final 1–0 after extra time at Soccer City in Johannesburg on 11 July 2010. The match was tense and scoreless through the opening 90 minutes, with both goalkeepers making important interventions and neither side able to break through.

The decisive moment arrived in the 116th minute. Andrés Iniesta controlled a pass from Cesc Fàbregas and struck a right-footed shot past Maarten Stekelenburg. Iniesta removed his shirt during the celebration, revealing a tribute to his late friend Dani Jarque.

The victory gave Spain its first men’s World Cup title and made it the first European nation to win the tournament outside Europe. The Netherlands, appearing in its third World Cup final, remained without a championship. A common mix-up is to identify Germany as the opponent because Spain also defeated Germany 1–0 in the semi-final, but the final itself was against the Netherlands.