A month ago, 32 of the planet's best football teams set out on a quest for World Cup glory. Today - 62 games, 139 goals, 236 yellow cards, 16 red cards and a river of tears later - we are ready for the grand finale.

Before you jump on me, I know those statistics don't include yesterday's third place play-off but the reason for this can be summed up in one word: irrelevant. It is a game that has no purpose. Why put distraught footballers and suffering fans through something so utterly pointless?

Anyway, back to tonight and a game that certainly does have a point.

Not only will we have ourselves new world champions at some point this evening, we will also have something you don't see very often - first-time winners. Although Spain and Holland have been to the World Cup party many times before, neither has managed to hang around for the cutting of the cake.

Tonight, though, one of them will finally end their 80 years of hurt. But who will be drinking to celebrate and who will be drinking to forget?

Somewhat unusually, you have two teams who are both on good runs and in good form. Spain have only lost half a handful of games in the past few years while Holland are unbeaten this year and are the only team to have won every game in South Africa.

Even more unusual is the similarity in style and approach. Both teams are packed with creativity and have an abundance of skilful players. Yet neither side has shown much flair so far in the tournament, and instead have relied on tenacity and organisation to see them through.

When you consider that playing this type of football has taken them all the way to the World Cup final, you can't really blame either side for leaving their twinkle-toed moves under lock and key. Winning in an ugly way - and it would unfair to label either side as having particularly done that - can be just as effective, if not more so.

It's just a pity that, so far, the likes of Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben, Nigel De Jong, Xavier Hernández, Fernando Alonso and Andres Iniesta have not really been given licence to truly light up the pitch, instead playing more regimented roles in overall team performances.

Spain probably start the match as slight favourites. They are the reigning European champions and their greater tournament experience combined with a stronger overall squad may give them the edge.

So far in South Africa they have based their victories on passing their opponents to death. It is often as if the other team is hypnotised by their ball-keeping tactics. Their ability to hold on to possession is awesome, although it can be a bit annoying to watch over the course of an entire game. A visual version of the vuvuzela drone.

Holland's passing and possession, while not quite at Spain's level, is equally admirable. They know how to hold on to the ball, although they are possibly more direct than their opponents when it comes to getting forward.

All in all, however, the styles are remarkably similar. The chalk and chalk of football. And that worries me a little bit in terms of the spectacle that may be on offer.

There is a serious danger that they could cancel each other out, with Spain content to sit back and stroke the ball around and Holland equally happy to sit back and watch them do it.

Africa's first attempt at hosting a World Cup has been a resounding success in so many ways, with the possible exception being where it really counts: on the pitch. We have had some bad games, some average games and some good games.

But I don't think there have really been any great ones, games that are infinitely memorable and that you will look back on in 10 years' time and say "Ah yes, I remember that." In that context, South Africa 2010 has not been the greatest tournament.

There is still time for that to change, however. Possibly only 90 minutes worth of time, but nevertheless time.

If tonight's contestants unexpectedly decide to throw caution to the wind and both of them, or even one, plays to their full, creative potential, we could have a real classic on our hands. And a classic final will make it easier to look back on the tournament as a whole with fond memories.

The Dutch and Spanish teams both have players with the potential to make tonight's match one of the all-time greats. Let's hope they rise to the occasion and do just that.

After all, it is a pretty exclusive club one of them will be joining tonight when they lose their World Cup virginity - one with only seven other members. And I think that sort of prize deserves a bit of a show.

Blade runners

Hundreds of Sheffield United fans will be in Malta this week as the team flies over for what is becoming their annual pre-season training camp.

While on the island they will be holding a variety of events for the fans, ranging from question-and-answer sessions with the manager to barbecues with the players.

Among the squad will be Maltese international Daniel Bogdanovic, who recently signed for United.

"I know a lot of people in Malta and it will be good to catch up with them and the fans - and doing it as a Sheffield United player will make it more special," Bogdanovic said.

During the visit there will also be an open training session where fans from Sheffield can join the increasing number of local 'Blades' and see their team being put through their paces in the lead up to the new season.

However, the highlight of the trip will be a triangular tournament at the Hibs ground on Friday evening that also includes Vittoriosa Stars and Hibernians.

See you there.

Your say

"As usual, you were spot on in your analysis of England's abysmal failure in the football World Cup in South Africa. However, allow me to add a few comments on England's shortcomings. Tiredness or not, I would still have expected Wayne Rooney to show me he is capable of trapping a ball.

"Furthermore, I could not believe my eyes that Frank Lampard was over-hitting two-metre passes by three metres, and square passes at that. The master of the square, (remember Ray Wilkins?) did that relatively well in his days on international duty with England.

"And then Fabio Capello, master tactician, a top coach with great experience at the top-most level of the game. Under his watch, England suffered the heaviest defeat in over 70 years of World Cup and European Championships finals.

"I agree that there was collective responsibility, but under a supreme tactician like Capello, I did not expect England to concede four goals. The positive side of Capello is that he has admitted he made mistakes. He is reported to have said it was a mistake on his part to take the England squad to a training camp in the Austrian Alps and not to have allowed his players a 15-day holiday to enable them to rest and come back refreshed and full of energy.

"Perhaps next time he may arrange a 15-day holiday in the Caribbean for the England squad"
- Oliver Vassallo, Rabat

sportscolumnist@timesofmalta.com