La Furia Roja completed an unprecedented historic treble by hitting four past a much-inferior Italy outfit in Kiev on Sunday.
Spain became the first side in history to win three successive major tournaments after thumping Italy 4-0 in the final of Euro 2012 in front of over 60,000 fans at the Olympic stadium in Kiev on Sunday.
The world champions lived up to their favourites tag with a spectacular display against a much-inferior Italy side, who were completely outplayed throughout the entire ninety minutes.
David Silva opened the scoring for Spain in the 14th minute, before Jordi Alba made it 2-0 four minutes from half-time. The Chelsea pair of Fernando Torres and Juan Mata added two more goals late on, to give Vicente del Bosque's side a memorable and totally justified victory.
After Silva broke the deadlock for Spain, when he met a clever cross from Cesc Fabregas with a fine header, the Spaniards grew enormously in confidence, and after a number of close calls, Jordi put them in a comfortable position heading into the interval, after a superb individual effort.
Cesare Prandelli's side were evidently shell-shocked after conceding the second goal, and it seemed that there was no way back when Brazilian-born Italian international Thiago Motta had to leave the field due to injury, reducing the Italians to ten-men with all three of their substitutions already made.
Andrea Pirlo, who was Italy's best player throughout the competition, struggled to provide strikers Mario Balotelli and Antonio Di Natale, who had replaced Antonio Cassano at half-time, with adequate service due to Spain's dominant midfield.
Despite Italy's greatest efforts, Spain took advantage of their numerical advantage, and continued to dictate the flow of the game, with Barcelona trio Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Fabregas at the centre of their best attacking moves.
Spain kept the ball between themselves quite comfortably, frustrating the desperate Italians, and after further patient build-up play, Torres added their third goal when in the 84th minute he fired the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal with great accuracy, leaving Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon with no chance.
Mata, who replaced Iniesta late on, completed the rout when he poked home a perfect cut-back from Chelsea team-mate Torres two minutes from full-time.
The world champions lived up to their favourites tag with a spectacular display against a much-inferior Italy side, who were completely outplayed throughout the entire ninety minutes.
David Silva opened the scoring for Spain in the 14th minute, before Jordi Alba made it 2-0 four minutes from half-time. The Chelsea pair of Fernando Torres and Juan Mata added two more goals late on, to give Vicente del Bosque's side a memorable and totally justified victory.
After Silva broke the deadlock for Spain, when he met a clever cross from Cesc Fabregas with a fine header, the Spaniards grew enormously in confidence, and after a number of close calls, Jordi put them in a comfortable position heading into the interval, after a superb individual effort.
Cesare Prandelli's side were evidently shell-shocked after conceding the second goal, and it seemed that there was no way back when Brazilian-born Italian international Thiago Motta had to leave the field due to injury, reducing the Italians to ten-men with all three of their substitutions already made.
Andrea Pirlo, who was Italy's best player throughout the competition, struggled to provide strikers Mario Balotelli and Antonio Di Natale, who had replaced Antonio Cassano at half-time, with adequate service due to Spain's dominant midfield.
Despite Italy's greatest efforts, Spain took advantage of their numerical advantage, and continued to dictate the flow of the game, with Barcelona trio Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Fabregas at the centre of their best attacking moves.
Spain kept the ball between themselves quite comfortably, frustrating the desperate Italians, and after further patient build-up play, Torres added their third goal when in the 84th minute he fired the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal with great accuracy, leaving Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon with no chance.
Mata, who replaced Iniesta late on, completed the rout when he poked home a perfect cut-back from Chelsea team-mate Torres two minutes from full-time.
