Yes, we heard it constantly since the German demolition of England 4-1 in the second round of the 2010 World Cup: Germany is a machine that is rolling over the competition. This feeling was further entrenched in our collective psyche when the German wunderkinds annihilated Argentina 4-0 to advance to the semifinals, where they met Spain. They had everything going for them: youth, speed, exuberance, dynamism, stylish play and gritty determinism. And what happened when they met Spain? They lost 1-0 to a more experienced and mature team that knew how to tactically keep stars Miroslav Klose, Lukas Podolski and Mesut Örzil in check and create penetrating runs that eviscerated the vaunted German defensive line. No, super markman David Villa did not score this time; it was defender Carles Puyol who caused wild celebrations in Spain with his header in the 73rd minute. Puyol is already a hero in his Catalan homeland; now he will surely be elevated to national hero in Spain's paragon if La Roja defeat the Netherlands on Sunday. Should Spain win on Sunday and Puyol is interviewed afterwards, I wonder what he will say? Soy Catalan. Or Soy Español. Watch the game to find out!
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