The game of all games

The Spain team faces another historic match. Maracana. Brazil vs. Spain. The game of all games. The most beautiful game ever played. A game long-awaited by millions of fans who see the Brazil of days gone by reflected in the Spain of the present day. The five-time world champion takes on the reigning champion. What more could you ask for?

The Brazil-Spain final lends some respect to a Confederations Cup which has so far failed to be seen as a big event. It is never too late, though. The name of the competition pales in comparison with the magnitude of the teams facing each other.

Maracana is wary of Del Bosque and his men. There is an atmosphere of distrust. It has still not forgotten the trauma of the 1950 World Cup when Uruguay inflicted a painful defeat on the Brazilians here. In spite of the facelift which has transformed it into a futuristic stadium, the worry about history repeating itself persists. And that is Spain's objective - to rise to the peak of its game in this football temple.

The players may show signs of exhaustion when the time comes, but their only mission is to remain true to themselves - to play the way they know best. This group of players has waited too long for this moment to betray themselves now. Win or lose, one thing is for sure - they will play the way they have been proving they know how to for a good while now, regardless of the atmosphere or their opponent.