JOHANNESBURG

Spain can lay claim to be the masters of two global sports right now. Just as important, its players know how to fight for the right to be champions, and how to treat victory the right way.

Rafael Nadal, having confirmed his No. 1 status in tennis this month, came to Soccer City Stadium near Soweto on Sunday night to cheer on his countrymen. In tennis a man has to win for himself, but in soccer any man among the 11 can win it. And on this night Nadal’s equal in the eyes of Spanish sports fans was Andrés Iniesta.

A diminutive midfielder with a huge heart, Iniesta was manhandled by Dutchmen whose coach, Bert van Marwijk, admitted, “Our fouls may be a sad thing for a final, but it is not our style.

“I would have loved to have won it with football that is not so beautiful.”

Van Marwijk’s team might have carried to the extreme his instructions to prevent Spain from building its midfield rhythm at all costs. At times, the Dutch tried to kick the substance out of the world’s best team. They almost succeeded.