Spanish daily sport newspaper ‘AS’ brought together Spain’s two European Championship goalscorers in a special interview which appeared on the front page of Wednesday’s edition. The five page-long interview centred around Marcelino, Spain’s goal hero from the 1964 Final (Marcelino scored Spain’s second as they defeated the Soviet Union 2-1 in the final held at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium), and Fernando Torres, Spain’s goalscorer from the 2008 Final.

Marcelino was happy that his country’s 44 year long wait was finally over and confirmed his desire that Torres collect France Football’s top accolade. “An important footballing nation like Spain needed another goal like the one I scored. Spain has world class players, but you are the best (looks at Torres). Nobody deserves the Balon D’Or more than you, and this is coming from a goalscorer.”

“With all due respect to the other candidates, I would give the award to Fernando Torres because he scored the winning goal in a European Championship Final. Everyone in the side was outstanding, but he scored the wonder goal. It was a real striker’s goal, because he did not just poke the ball home. He outstripped the defender for pace and beat the beeper with a great piece of skill. The goal belongs to the team, but it carries the mark of Torres and we have to take our hat off to him.”

Photo: AS