Madrid - Spain's sporting "annus mirabilis" is reflected in the end-of-year chart of television audiences. The almost completed year has been the most successful ever for Spanish sport, and this is reflected in the television viewing figures published on Tuesday by sports daily AS.
Right at the top of the audience chart, with more than 12 million viewers, was the 29 June Euro final against Germany in Vienna, in which Fernando Torres scored the vital goal in a 1-0 Spanish triumph.
In second place came the 3-0 semi-final defeat of Russia, with the tense penalty shootout quarter-final defeat of Italy in third place.
Fourth place went to Real Madrid's 4-1 thrashing of Barcelona in May's "clasico", a result which clinched the league title for the whites.
All four games had a higher audience than the Eurovision Song Contest and the pre-election debates between Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and opposition leader Mariano Rajoy.
The second most popular sport for Spaniards in 2008, in terms of television audiences, was Formula One motor racing, even though Fernando Alonso failed to regain the world title won in 2005 and 2006.
The race with the highest television ratings was the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, in which Lewis Hamilton - Alonso's former companion at McLaren Mercedes - dramatically snatched the world title in the final lap.
More than four million Spaniards watched the spectacular opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, slightly more than the figures for Rafael Nadal's epic first Wimbledon title won over Roger Federer. Almost four million Spaniards saw at least some part of Spain's Davis Cup final triumph over Argentina in Mar del Plata, in which Nadal did not participate because of injury.
Curiously, Spanish viewing figures for popular cycling in 2008 were relatively.
No race was seen by more than three million Spaniards, despite the triumph of Alberto Contador in the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta, and Carlos Sastre's Tour de France crown.
