It's been a pleasure taking you live through some of the most exciting games from the largest sporting event of the world. Until the next big thing, adios amigos!
The Spain players take turns in lifting the trophy. The greatest moment in the careers of these players without a shadow of doubt. But with every victory, there are the vanquished. Netherlands had a gameplan and stuck to it and it almost paid off.
But that won't even make the footnotes when we talk about this game in four years' time.
Let's spare a thought for South Africa. They had skeptics when South Africa were awarded the right to host the tournament. The appeals of the skeptics grew louder and louder as June 11th, 2010 appeared on the horizon. They were unfazed. They knew they would be ready and have delivered a wonderful tournament.
Netherlands receive their medals. Spain have also received them. Now Sepp Blatter hands over the trophy to Iker Casillas who holds it aloft. They were worthy winners over 120 minutes of football and fully deserve the honour of being crowned World Champions.
Spain becomes the first team since France to hold the Euros and the World Cup together. The French team had great names like Zinedine Zidane, Lilian Thuram and Bixentu Lizarazu. Likewise this Spanish team has great names like David Villa, Andres Inesta and Xavi Hernandez.
Spain are ecstatic. The Dutch are desolate. The spectrum of human emotions in full flow at the Soccer City stadium.
And it's over. Spain have done it. They are the World Champions.
Torres seems to have pulled a hamstring.
Two minutes of additional time.
116th minute And Spain have the opener. From the left, Torres tries to find Iniesta but his cross is blocked. The clearence falls very kindly for Fabregas, who from the edge of the area, puts in an inch perfect cross for Iniesta, who makes no mistake from eight-yards.
114th minute Sneijder takes a free-kick from about 30-yards from the centre of the goal but it takes a deflectionand goes behind for a corner, it should have been a corner anyway. But Webb says goal-kick.
113th minute Robben is offside but he still puts it into the back of the net. Cue for Spanish players to come rushing to Webb and imploring him to send off Robben also. But Webb resists the tempatation.
111th minute Van Der Wiel takes out Iniesta and goes into the book.
109th minute Heitinga pulls back Iniesta near the 18-yard box. And Webb shows Heitinga the second yellow. He's off. Xavi, who eyes the free-kick, gets it over the wall but over the bar also. To be fair to Webb a fair call.
108th minute Elia goes near the left byline before cutting back into the six-yard box. But the linesman says it crossed the line. Fair decision that.
The second period of extra time is under way.
Torres replaces Villa.
The whistle blows to signal the end of the first period of extra time.
105th minute Braafheid replaces Bronkhorst. A great servant for Holland exits the stage for one last time.
104th minute Fabregas goes on a lovely little run through the Dutch defence before trying to find the bottom left corner. But his shot just misses the net.
Just two minutes from stoppages for the first period of extra time to finish.
101st minute Fabregas and Villa involve before the latter releases Navas down the right. But his effort from about 18-yards takes a deflection and hits the side-netting. Some Spanish fans in my office thought that was the moment but it was not to be. Been a very lively period of the match.
100th minute Van Der Vaart replaces De Jong.
99th minute Fabregas turns provider as he finds Iniesta, who takes it though the centre. But he procrastinates and the situation passes.
95th minute If Fabregas was named Villa that would have been 1-0 to the Spanish. A great pass from Iniesta sets Fabregas free down the left but his effort is saved by the legs of keeper.
92nd minute Bodies flying all over the place. Fabregas is tackled (replays suggest illegally) just around the 18-yard box but Webb says no. Iniesta, Villa and Xavi all go for the follow-ups but to no avail. A corner, says Webb.
The first-half of extra time is under way.
The Netherlands have got their tactics right. Attempting to stifle the Spanish midfield and trying to release Robben on the right and through the centre. For Spain, the lack of a plan B has made them impotent thus far. But things can change.
The whistle goes to signal the end of 90 minutes. Into extra-time and possibly penalties.
90+3: Sneijder sees his name in tomorrow's papers and launches a very speculative drive from about 45-yards to the left of goal. But it goes wide.
90+1: An attacking movement from Navas is spoiled by the Dutch and Elia picks up the pieces and runs through the middle before trying to release Robben. But his pass is overcooked.
Into stoppage-time at Soccer City.
87th minute Fabregas replaces Alonso.
83rd minute A brilliant header from Van Persie sets Robben free of the last man but Puyol back-tracks and manages to distract Robben. Casillas comes of his line and collects. A furious Robben wants a free-kick. But all he gets is a yellow for shouting at Webb.
81st minute Iniesta goes on a little slaloming run down the left before getting free of the last man. But he tries to pick a spot and is tackled quite brilliantly.
More attacking movement from the Spanish. It's fair to say that the Netherlands have stopped playing. They are only interested to be Iniesta's and Xavi's shadow partners. And why not? It has proved a very effective strategy thus far.
77th minute Villa has another opportunity but his drive is blocked. From the resultant corner, Xavi puts it on a plate for Ramos to put Spain ahead. But the Madrid man puts it over the bar from about six-yards. Massive chance that.
76th minute Navas again the creator but Villa not yet the destroyer. A looping cross from the right finds Villa unmarked but his first-time left-foot volley is put high, wide and not very handsome.
73rd minute Iniesta is tackled about 24-yards from the left of goal. Very interesting area for Spain to get a free-kick. But Villa puts it wide of the keeper's left post. Just not enough bend in that one.
71st minute Elia replaces Kuyt
69th minute What a chance that was for Villa. Navas runs on to acres of space down the right before crossing along the carpet across the six-yard box. A Netherlands leg dallied on it and it was immediately taken up by Villa but his shot is heroically blocked. The rebound goes behind for a Spain corner.
67th minute Capdevila takes out Van Persie (cue for the yellow to follow) from about 35-yards to goal.
66th minute The Dutch defence decide to play some ping-pong inside their own 18-yard box before Stekelenburg takes command.
62nd minute A defence splitting pass from Sneijder releases Robben who's behind the last man. But Robben, who tries to place his effort from about 16-yards is saved brilliantly by Casillas (Wonder how many saves Casillas has made like that against Robben in Madrid's training ground). The best chance of the game that.
60th minute Sevilla's Jesus Navas comes on for Pedro.
58th minute More tackles going awry. Iniesta puts Sneijder on the mat but does not get booked (not a yellow that by a long mile). The free-kick, from about 30-yards to the right of goal, is taken by Robben but Heitinga strays too early and the offside flag is up.
56th minute It is Heitinga's turn to go into the book.
55th minute But Xavi, who takes the free-kick, can't get enough curve and it just kisses the side-netting.
54th minute Bronkhorst takes out Ramos on the right from about 22-yards out. And a yellow follows that offence.
53rd minute Collector's item: Andres Iniesta plays a pass to an Oranje leg.
50th minute An aggressive drive from Van Der Wiel from the right goes across the six-yard box with no Dutch attentions.
48th minute Puyol flicks on a Spain corner but Capdevila isn't alert enough to the situation.
The second-half is under way.
Some first-half stats: Shots on goal: S-4, N-3. Corners: S-1, N-4. Yellows: S-2, N-3 (From Editor-in-Chief N. Ram's twitter account).
Been the classic definition of a scrappy affair. The Netherlands have stifled Spain's creative midfielders. De Jong and Van Bommel, who are on yellows, would have to watch their tackles in the second-half.
An intriguing second-half in store.
That is the last notable attacking intent of the half as referee Webb blows the whistle to signal the end of the first half.
45+1: A Netherlands free-kick is not cleared properly and it falls to Robben on the right. He cuts inside and shoots with his left but Casillas gets low and tips it behind for a corner. Best bit of action for the Netherlands this half.
42nd minute Sneijder takes out Busquets from about 33-yards. But Alonso, who takes the resultant free-kick, puts it wide of the keeper's left post.
38th minute Pedro, ball at his feet and near the attacking third, hits a rasping left-foot effort but it goes wide of the keeper's right post.
37th minute Netherlands work a corner to Van Bommel who is at the edge of the box. But his shot, scuffed at best, finds an unmarked before Mathijsen but his connection is minimal.
34th minute A long punt up-field to give back possession to Spain almost sees a Dutch goal. And Casillas scrambles to get a finger-tip on it. It goes behind for a Dutch corner. But the Oranje gives it back to Casillas.
31st minute A promising move for Spain breaks down as Pedro loses possession on the left. Cue for some possession stats: Spain 56% Netherlands 44%.
28th minute Another yellow. This time De Jong goes into Webb's little book of shame. A high-boot which sent Alonso tumbling to the ground.
Been a scrappy half of football this. Spain haven't found their passing range while the Dutch haven't got the ball quickly enough to Sneijder and Robben.
22nd minute The former policeman Webb brings out the yellow card for the third time already. Van Bommel the latest recipient. Moments later Ramos clips the legs of Kuyt and then promptly follows Van Bommel into the book. That's now four yellow cards in the opening 23 minutes.
21st minute Robben goes on one of his runs down the right but he runs into a cul-de-sac. But it earns Holland a corner. However the corner is wasted.
17th minute Puyol goes into the book for a challenge on Robben. From 30-yards out Sneijder puts the resultant free-kick right into the hands of Casillas.
15th minute Van Persie goes into the book for a challenge on Capdevila. That's his second offence of the night. Given that his temperament is not the best, Van Persie will have to be extra guarded now.
11th minute Another opening for Ramos. He jinks past Kuyt and drives across the six-yard box but a Netherlands leg clears it. Moments later, Villa's first-time volley from the left hits the side-netting. Spain have been dominant so far.
8th minute A mistake from Busquets and Kuyt gets possession. But he decides to catch Casillas out but his effort, all along the carpet, goes tamely to the Spain keeper.
5th minute An early chance for Spain. A close-range header from Ramos is parried by Stekelenburg and Netherlands clear the situation. Early nerves that.
Not surprisingly Spain have had most of the early possession.
And Netherlands have kicked off.
Bronkhorst and Casillas are having the coin toss along with Webb. Spare a thought for Bronkhorst. This ,of course, is his last professional football game.
The anthems are over. And Spanish players walk to greet the Netherlands players, who are static.
This is the last time the anthems would be played at this year's World Cup. And cue to rise for the anthems.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter and South Africa President Jacob Zuma are greeting the players.
The players are coming out. The biggest game of their lives.
The teams are in the tunnel. Of course led by referee, English referee, Howard Webb. What a moment this is for him? And if I don't say his name again during the course of the game, Webb would have had a brilliant match.
Fabio Cannavaro, the last captain to win the World Cup, gets a chance to feel and lift the trophy. A glittering career the Italian captain had. It was just sad that they did not even qualify from the group stages.
Just 25 minutes to go for the match to kick-off. Hold on to your hats. A new name will be inscribed on one of the most famous sporting trophies in about three hours.
The answer to question No. 2: Sneijder would have won the UEFA Champions League (the "Big Ears" which he won with Jose Mourinho at Inter MIlan) and the World Cup in the same year. Not many people have done that you know.
Question of the day (No. 3): If Pedro scores tonight, what achievement will he complete? Wikipedia is not allowed.
Spain have been very good at keeping the ball but up against two water-carriers (and both of them are good at breaking up play as well), De Jong and Van Bommel, they might have to work overtime to conceal the ball from the artists of Holland, especially Robben. Robben vs Capdevila is a very key battle of the night, methinks. Keep an eye out for that.
Question of the day (No. 2): If Wesley Sneijder wins the World Cup tonight, he will join an elite list of people to have done something in the same year. What is it? Keep thinking...
Question of the day (No. 1): Do you think this Holland side can even hold a candle to the legendary 1970 Brazil team? Don't think so? But if Holland win today, they will become only the second nation, (yes, the first was Brazil in 1970) to have a 100% record in the qualifiers as well as in the World Cup itself.
No changes for Spain while Holland makes two changes. Nigel De Jong and Gregory Van Der Wiel, the absentees from the last encounter against Uruguay, come back into side.
Netherlands: Maarten Stekelenburg, Gregory van der Wiel, John Heitinga, Joris Mathijsen, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Dirk Kuyt, Mark van Bommel, Wesley Sneijder, Nigel de Jong, Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie.
Spain: Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol, Joan Capdevila, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Pedro, David Villa.
For Holland, the out-of-form Robin van Persie keeps his place ahead of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
Torres, the man who scored the solitary goal in the final of the 2008 Euros, is left on the bench again. It's the young Pedro, who did impress one and all against Germany, retains his place.
Breaking News: Fernando Torres left on the bench. Team News to follow.
One of the men responsible for bringing the World Cup to Africa, Mr. Nelson Mandela, waves to the spectators.
The closing ceremony comes to an end and the artists trudge back to the stands. But don't even think that the night has ended. In a sense, it has not even begun.
Lights, fireworks and lasers are lighting up the night sky in Johannesburg.
More dancers perform on the pitch. With artists such as Iniesta, Xavi, Sneijder and Robben on show later tonight, we are in for a feast of a show.
Various clippings of some matches of the current World Cup are being shown in capsules.
The flags of all the participating nations come alive on the pitch. Technical stuff of the highest quality.
The dancers form a "FOR AFRICA" on the pitch. A very emotional moment this for the African people.
Shakira begins her "It's time for Africa" anthem.
The Closing Ceremony begins with a laser show.
The Soccer City stadium looks stunning to say the least. It's almost as if you got to see it to believe it.
Spain's route to the final:
Group Stage: Lost to Switzerland, Beat Honduras and Beat Chile. Round of 16: Beat Portugal. Quarter-final: Beat Paraguay. Semi-final: Beat Germany
Netherlands' route to the final:
Group Stage: Beat Denmark, Beat Japan, Beat Cameroon. Round of 16: Beat Slovakia. Quarter-final: Beat Brazil. Semi-final: Beat Uruguay.
Even the scriptwriters couldn't have come up with a better screenplay for the final showdown if they had a task of finding two teams, who have previously never won the World Cup, to face each other in the finals.
Hello and welcome to our extended live coverage between Netherlands and Spain.
