Petr Cech was one of just a few Chelsea internationals not playing at the World Cup Finals but that did not prevent him attending the tournament, nor predicting who will lift the golden trophy.
Our star goalkeeper spent three days in South Africa last month, partly for an Adidas event in Johannesburg but he was also in the stands at a match involving one of tonight's finalists - Spain's group-stage win over Chile in Pretoria to be precise. Now back in England, he gives the Official Chelsea Website some of his World Cup views.
'Before the tournament I said that Spain was going to win it,' Cech claims.
'Let's see but they are in the Final even though they didn't start the tournament well. Game by game they play better and better and the last game against Germany they were brilliant so I think they have a big chance.
'They know each other. They have a team that has a spine with a lot of people from Barcelona so for me that is what makes them good.
'They have been playing together for years and automatically they do things. They don't lose time by thinking about it.'
Cech joins his club manager in tipping the Spaniards to triumph ultimately but he admits to being a little more selective in his match viewing than Carlo Ancelotti.
'When I came back from South Africa I saw the Germany v England game on the telly and I started watching more from the quarter-finals onwards, but before that I really wanted to switch off from football.
'I didn't like the atmosphere in the stadium in South Africa,' he admits, 'because you can't hear the people. The excitement from the atmosphere we are used to is the crowd singing and shouting and cheering when you have a chance. Because of the vuvuzela you hear none of this.
'I asked the Spanish players and they said it is harder to hear on the pitch. That is why they have to understand more each other's game. They say when everyone is blowing the vuvuzelas there is no chance they can hear anything.'
Naturally when he has been World Cup watching, Cech has given plenty of attention to the men who have helped make it a low-scoring tournament - the goalkeepers.
'Iker Casillas is doing very well because he is always decisive whenever he needs to make the save and he has made it so far,' assesses the Chelsea stopper.
'From the goalkeepers in the whole tournament of course there have been a few mistakes but overall I think they have done well.'
Our star goalkeeper spent three days in South Africa last month, partly for an Adidas event in Johannesburg but he was also in the stands at a match involving one of tonight's finalists - Spain's group-stage win over Chile in Pretoria to be precise. Now back in England, he gives the Official Chelsea Website some of his World Cup views.
'Before the tournament I said that Spain was going to win it,' Cech claims.
'Let's see but they are in the Final even though they didn't start the tournament well. Game by game they play better and better and the last game against Germany they were brilliant so I think they have a big chance.
'They know each other. They have a team that has a spine with a lot of people from Barcelona so for me that is what makes them good.
'They have been playing together for years and automatically they do things. They don't lose time by thinking about it.'
Cech joins his club manager in tipping the Spaniards to triumph ultimately but he admits to being a little more selective in his match viewing than Carlo Ancelotti.
'When I came back from South Africa I saw the Germany v England game on the telly and I started watching more from the quarter-finals onwards, but before that I really wanted to switch off from football.
'I didn't like the atmosphere in the stadium in South Africa,' he admits, 'because you can't hear the people. The excitement from the atmosphere we are used to is the crowd singing and shouting and cheering when you have a chance. Because of the vuvuzela you hear none of this.
'I asked the Spanish players and they said it is harder to hear on the pitch. That is why they have to understand more each other's game. They say when everyone is blowing the vuvuzelas there is no chance they can hear anything.'
Naturally when he has been World Cup watching, Cech has given plenty of attention to the men who have helped make it a low-scoring tournament - the goalkeepers.
'Iker Casillas is doing very well because he is always decisive whenever he needs to make the save and he has made it so far,' assesses the Chelsea stopper.
'From the goalkeepers in the whole tournament of course there have been a few mistakes but overall I think they have done well.'
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