Spanish community celebrates

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This article was published 12/07/2010 (5932 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEAFENING shouts of “España, España Ra! Ra! Ra!” were heard outside Winnipeg’s Spanish club late Sunday afternoon.

After 116 minutes of dives, drives and all-out passion, Spain emerged victorious with the game’s only goal, and the country’s first World Cup title.

“It’s such a great feeling, we’ve been so close for a while now,” said Jose Rosa, as he draped a Spanish flag over his shoulders. “We deserve this.”

Friends Hugo Aragon and Hugo Carias waved their flags and nearly jumped in front of passing cars out on Selkirk Avenue.

Carias believes the winning goal by Andres Iniesta was the best of the tournament.

“By far it was the most beautiful goal so far.”

Conversely, spirits were somewhat less than jubilant at Legends Sports Bar on Portage Avenue, which had made itself the unofficial Dutch headquarters for the tournament.

A crowd of neon orange supporters moaned in collective disbelief at the Spanish goal, as one woman wiped silent tears from her face.

Only moments earlier the crowd had been shouting “Ole Ole Ole,” and boasting of a Dutch win.

“We are the best team, and this is the best place to be right now,” said Jordan Raynbjrd.

Edward Burtch predicted that a Spanish win “would make this place very quiet.”

His words couldn’t have been more apt, as the final minutes wound down while a chastened crowd watched the final attempts of the Dutch team with deflated hopes.

britt.harvey@freepress.mb.ca