While Spain today count among world football's genuine super nations, back in 2010 they were considered to be one of the biggest underachievers in the history of international football.
Certainly, they had added the 2008 European Championship to the continental crown they'd won in 1964, but despite a multitude of successes for both Real Madrid and Barcelona - and the immense talent to emerge from Spain - La Roja had consistently flattered to deceive on the grandest stage of all.
Indeed, before the 2010 World Cup, they hadn't reached the tournament's final four since 1950, and had only made the quarterfinals in three of their previous six showings.
However, that all changed in 2010, when the myriad talents of Barcelona and Real Madrid meshed together to inspire Spain to their first world title, and the key success in their three consecutive major tournament triumphs.
It was Andres Iniesta's goal that settled the final against the Netherlands in South Africa as, for the first time since 1978, the decider was contested between two teams never to have won the title.
The goal ended 116 minutes of stalemate and 80 years of underachievement for La Roja, as the Spaniards broke via Jesus Navas and Cesc Fabregas.
The latter picked out Iniesta, who controlled the ball with his right foot and made no mistake with a fine volleyed finish past Maarten Stekelenburg to break Dutch resolve.
It was surely the greatest moment in the career of the Barcelona playmaker, who confirmed in April that he would be calling time on his glittering trophy-laden career with the Catalonian giants at this season's conclusion.
Regardless of what else he achieves beyond the Nou Camp, he'll always be remembered as the man who ended Spain's wait for the World Cup.
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