Netherlands great Johan Cruyff probably never expected the style of play he made synonymous with attacking football to pay off for Spain. Spain will take on the Netherlands in Sunday's World Cup final, with two of the world's best attacking teams both looking to win the tournament for the first time. While Cruyff led the Dutch to its previous two Finals, it seems he's also played a big part in taking Spain to its first in South Africa. Cruyff is credited with creating Barcelona's style of play, a possession-based game of quick touches and slick passing that has become Spain's manifesto. Key players like Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique all came up through Barcelona's youth academy. “Spain's style is the style of Barcelona,” Cruyff wrote in his El Periodico column. “Now, Spain is favorite to win the World Cup.” While Barcelona's first taste of “Total Football” came during Cruyff's playing days, he also implemented them as Barcelona coach in the early 90s. Cruyff's “Dream Team” – comprising a mix of Dutch players and midfield maestros like current Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola – won four straight league titles and the club's first European Cup. Of Spain's current 23-man squad, nine came up through Barcelona's academy with six being regular starters. “Spanish team or Barca team?” La Vanguardia newspaper asked Thursday. Former Spain coach Inaki Saez was the first to recognize the technically gifted emerging generation, and Luis Aragones continued the work after Spain had failed to get out of the group stage at the 2004 European Championship. Four years later, the team became European champion. Coach Vicente del Bosque has stayed true to the style and fielded seven of the Catalan club's players against Germany. “I manage a young group of players who are very well-seasoned in the world of football,” Del Bosque said from Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium. “We're very lucky people to have so many great players. We've been detached from success for so many years that now is the time.”
