Spain's final frontier... holders can become most successful team in football's rich history

By Matt Lawton for the Daily Mail

Published: 16:30 EST, 29 June 2012 | Updated: 16:32 EST, 29 June 2012

Only Mario Balotelli could reflect on a moment of personal triumph, on a night when Italy produced the performance of this tournament so far, and suggest his goal celebration drew envious glances from his team-mates.

Having removed his shirt after that stunning second goal against Germany, Manchester City's striker declared: 'They were jealous of my body.'

In his own rather madcap way he was joking, of course, but it will take more than mere muscle, more than Balotelli's speed and athleticism, to conquer the Spain team Italy will meet tomorrow.

It will be a fascinating encounter. A clash of styles, perhaps, but one that sees the two best passing teams in Euro 2012 meet in a game that is certainly worthy of an Olympic Stadium.

It will bring together the respective brilliance of Andrea Pirlo and Xavi Hernandez, Daniele De Rossi and Andres Iniesta, Gianluigi  Buffon and Iker Casillas.

It will be a contest between serial medal winners; players among the most successful of the modern era. World Cup winners all over the pitch.

For the Spanish, tomorrow night represents an opportunity to make history; to become arguably the most successful group of players we have seen. Certainly the most successful group of European players.

A Spanish team built on the foundations of a brilliant Barcelona side but sprinkled with quality and genius from Real Madrid and Manchester City.

No European team have ever won three major tournaments in a row, and one glance at the  personal records of Xavi and Iniesta, in particular, makes for truly extraordinary reading.

If Xavi is a member of the winning team, he will have one World Cup, two European Championships, three European Cups, six La Liga titles and two Spanish Cups.

The team that started against Portugal in the semi-final boasted 59 major club trophies and 16 international trophies, and that, remember, does not include Fernando Torres, who was on the bench.

Pirlo has been wonderful. On Thursday night in Warsaw Peter Schmeichel described his performance against the Germans as 'art'. But five Spanish players - Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets,  Iniesta and Sergio Ramos - have exceeded the 320 passes the 33-year-old has so far completed.

There has been some criticism of the Spanish here in eastern Europe. It has been said they lack their usual attacking spark, and there is no doubt that the loss of David Villa to injury and the loss of form Torres continues to suffer have taken their toll.

But Spain's defensive qualities are often overlooked and in this tournament that aspect of their game under Vicente del Bosque has been crucial to their success.  

It has been 900 minutes since they conceded a goal in the knockout stages of a major tournament, dating back to the quarter-final of Euro 2008, and out here they have conceded only one goal - to Italy in their opening game.

In their last two games combined - the quarter-final against France and the last-four meeting with Portugal - Casillas has faced one shot on target. A staggering statistic and something that  certainly highlights the benefit of being able to keep the ball.

Cesare Prandelli should not be too concerned, though. His side have yet to trail in a game in this tournament and of the 12 shots on target Spain have had to deal with at Euro 2012, half came from Italy in that first game.

Italy have also had the most shots at the tournament, with 99, although Spain are second with 86. These Spanish players understand only too well what is within their grasp.

'We are aware of what we are playing for,' said Ramos. 'It is something that no team have ever achieved. It requires many years of work and sacrifice.'

Cesc Fabregas echoed the sentiment. 'We need to maintain our philosophy of play, which is the key to our success,' said the former Arsenal captain.

'But we have already made history and we will make more if we win.'

Like Germany, like England, they see Pirlo as Italy's main threat. Ramos called him 'unique', Fabregas described him as 'like Xavi in our team - two fantastic footballers'.

Under Prandelli, Italy have gone through a cultural change that right now makes them more of an attacking team than Spain. For that reason they will look, again, to Balotelli and Antonio Cassano.

On Thursday Balotelli actually took the time to commit his future to Manchester City. Asked if he wanted to return to Italy, he said he could not entertain leaving the Etihad Stadium when the fans have been so wonderful to him.

If he can do to this marvellous Spanish team what he did to Germany in the semi-final, they will not want him to leave either.