Opinion
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Spain Celebrates
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Published: July 10, 2008
What a great time to be a Spanish sports fan -- and these days, that's just about everybody in Spain. Spaniards are still euphoric after two spectacular international sports victories in a row.
First, the Spanish soccer team won the European Championship in Vienna, Austria, at the end of June. For 44 years, the Spaniards had been breaking their fans' hearts by building up expectations and then failing to win any major titles.
No more. In the Euros, they played commandingly, beating everybody -- including Italy, the World Cup champion -- on their way to the championship game. Then they whipped the larger German team 1-0, and Spain went crazy.
Hardly had the fireworks and flamenco dancing in the streets quieted on Sunday when Spain's own Rafael Nadal won what's being called one of the best men's tennis championship finals ever, deposing Roger Federer as the king of Wimbledon. Nadal was the first Spaniard to win Wimbledon in 42 years. And Spain went crazy again.
The economic impact of the victories is expected to be significant, with sponsorship deals, sales of merchandise, more tourism and increased domestic spending on the part of happy Spaniards. The boost to patriotism will be harder to quantify, but no less real. Spaniards are literally wrapping themselves in their national flag and saying this may be the greatest outpouring of national pride since Spain made the transition to democracy after the death of Gen. Francisco Franco in 1975. As we head into the Olympics, here's another reminder of why people love sports.
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