Vienna - Spain coach Luis Aragones stressed Sunday, minutes after winning the Euro 2008, that he always believed that his men could win the tournament, which they did by beating Germany 1-0 in the final. "The players know how much I believed in them and how much they believed in themselves. I think we have an extraordinarily good team," Aragones said.
He further praised his men by stressing that at the Euro Spain has been an example "of how to play football."
"I am very happy for the whole of Spain. It is a milestone in Spanish football," he added.
Aragones analyzed the game against Germany in front of reporters.
"In the first 10 minutes we were nervous but once Torres hit the post I felt we would win because we were the better team, and it would be difficult for Germany to come back if we scored,"he noted.
"This is a group that plays very well, with short passes, which adjusts passes very well, and they are hard to stop. It is a very happy day for all of us, because we have won a Euro in a brilliant way."
The outgoing Spain coach was optimistic for the team's future, and said Spain "can win anything" in an obvious reference to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
According to Aragones, Spain did not play much better in Austria and Switzerland than they did at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, when they were eliminated by France in the quarter-finals.
"Against France we were eliminated with pretty good football, but then the players have become more mature and understood how you can win a Euro tournament and even a World Cup: you have to defend well and to know how to attack," Aragones explained.
He recalled that he was part of the squad the only other time that Spain won the Euro, in 1964.
"Since no changes were allowed I could not play, but then and now - when you have those who played a lot, those who played little - we were all part of a great title for Spain," the coach recalled.
When asked whether he thinks the level of play shown by Spain can have an influence on the sport's development, he was hopeful.
"I think so. Those of us who love football want that, to play well, to get to the rival's goal," Aragones said. "I think this national team has been a model of how to play football. God help Spain to keep on this track, and then it will give people many reasons to celebrate."
Aragones confirmed that the final was his last match as national coach.
"There are zero chances (that I play another) because I have not had the chance to stay," he said.
"Please treat the manager that follows me as well as possible so that they can do their job.
"I have had the mental strength to deal with everything that was thrown at me. He may not."
