Torres - Spain set standard
Fernando Torres believes that in winning Euro 2012, record-breaking Spain have set the standard by which future international success will be measured.
Last Updated: 02/07/12 4:55pm
Fernando Torres believes that in winning Euro 2012, record-breaking Spain have set the standard by which future international success will be measured.
Vicente del Bosque's all-conquering outfit swept Italy aside on Sunday to claim back-to-back European Championship titles and their third consecutive tournament crown.
Torres stepped off the bench in Kiev to net Spain's third goal in a 4-0 hammering of the Azzurri, helping himself to the Golden Boot in the process.
He has been a leading figure in a squad which has now conquered the continent twice and lifted the 2010 World Cup, and the Chelsea striker feels Spain have taken the pursuit of international success to a new level.
Torres told Marca: "You can't ask for more, but it is the work of the team and the togetherness that has brought us here.
"You always want to win more and more, but right now we have to enjoy this. We have won by a distance against a great team like Italy.
"We are very happy. This was the objective that we had at the start of the tournament.
Dominated
"We knew we were the opponent to beat, that it was going to be more difficult than ever and it has been.
"We had luck in some moments of the championship but at the end we will reflect on what today means in Spanish football history.
"We have dominated from start to finish and enjoyed a magical evening. Now we can say that national teams of the future will concentrate on us to try and make history."
Torres only started two of Spain's six games at Euro 2012, but helped himself to three goals, an assist, the Golden Boot and a place in the history books as the first man to net in two European Championship finals - following his winner against Germany back in 2008.
He added: "Football is like this.This is my third Euros, in the previous ones I played almost all the games and scored two goals. In this one I have played less but won the Golden Boot.
"Football can be just or unjust like that depending how you look at it and that is why we like it so much."