Fernando Torres has fired Spain to a 1-0 victory in the final of the European Championships against Germany.

The Liverpool centre-forward pounced in the 33rd minute at the Ernst Happel stadium in Vienna with a sharply taken goal.

Torres wrestled his way past Germany left-back Philipp Lahm to meet a fine through ball from Xavi and then dinked the ball over keeper Jens Lehmann.

The strike ended 44 years of underachievement for the Spanish and sparked wild celebrations in Austria's capital and across Spain.

Torres said: "It's a dream come true. It's our first title (together) and we hope it will be the first of many. We've still got the World Cup to come, we have to be ambitious.

"At last justice has been done because the team that played the best football won the tournament."

And Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas, who started the match in the absence of top scorer David Villa who was injured, said: "This was one of my dreams and I made it.

"It is a long time since a team of such quality has had success. You can see how young we are so hopefully now we can fight for the World Cup."

German coach Joachim Loew said: "We have to accept the quality of the Spanish side tonight and their technical ability. We're disappointed but I have to compliment my team on their fantastic performances in the last few weeks."

Spain had gone close twice before the goal from Torres.

Lehmann had to react quickly after the superb Andres Iniesta's shot was deflected but the keeper was beaten in the 23rd minute when Torres, not for the first time, outjumped Per Mertesacker but saw his header come back off a post.

Torres, who had been somewhat overshadowed by absent four-goal partner David Villa in the tournament, showed what a dangerous finisher he is after 33 minutes.

Lahm appeared to have Xavi's through-ball covered but fractionally hesitated as he hoped Lehmann would reach it first and that was all Torres needed as he sped past him then cleverly lifted the ball over the advancing keeper.

Spain's precision delivery earned them several more half-chances early in the second half but none were taken and Germany, never a team to give up on a trophy without a fight, raised their game.

Captain Michael Ballack, fit to play after his calf strain, had spent most of the first hour fighting fires but he went close with a low volley as his side hit back and ramped up the temperature with a few lively tackles.

Loew threw on striker Kevin Kuranyi but Spain then had a flurry of chances of chances as Lehmann saved well from Sergio Ramos and Iniesta, and Torsten Frings cleared Iniesta's shot off the line all in the space of two minutes.

As Germany pressed, for the equaliser the gaps opened and Torres almost broke clear twice more. In the end, though, his early effort proved enough to clinch the trophy for Spain.

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