Paper Monitor
09:22 UK time, Monday, 12 July 2010
A service highlighting the riches of the daily press.
Anyone who, like Paper Monitor, gamely endured the dismal two hours of the self-styled greatest show on Earth will know - if they managed to stay awake - that Spain are football's world champions.
But while "Spain Reign", as the Daily Express acknowledges, the papers also manage to squeeze a last drizzle of national pride from the lemon that was England's World Cup.
"English ref was real World Cup star," it proclaims on its front page, next to a picture of Howard Webb brandishing a yellow card. Photos of the Spanish winners are relegated to the back page.
"Yellow, 'ello, 'ello," noting that by dishing out 15 yellow cards and sending off Holland's Johnny Heitinga, the formidable Yorkshire police sergeant had claimed an unusual record.
But it is full of praise for Webb's performance:
The Rotherham official, 38, was booed by Dutch fans as he collected his medal later. But he kept his head as players lost theirs, clattering into each other in a string of appalling challenges.
The Guardian was as unimpressed as Paper Monitor by the quality of fare on offer, branding the final "brutal", "filthy", a "night of shame" and even .
Good job England's finest was in the middle, although Paper Monitor reckons he may have wished he had packed his handcuffs and truncheon for the trip.
The Guardian, which highlights the referee's key decisions with a "Webb watch", reports:
By the time the match entered its second quarter Howard Webb had issued yellow cards to Robin Van Persie, Carlos Puyol, Mark van Bommel and Sergio Ramos, probably hoping to keep the temperature down...You had to feel sorry for the Englishman, who had probably hoped, on such a gala occasion, to be able to referee the match with a light touch.
Mick Dennis, who claims the splendid byline of Football Correspondent and Level 7 referee for 14 years in the Express, is full of praise. Giving his expert view of how Webb reacted when surrounded by players after a particularly reckless tackle, he says:
He stood with legs planted firmly and slightly astride so as not to be forced back by anyone and he used both arms to signal his clear intention that everyone should get out of his face.It was demonstrative authoritative body language which told the players, the crowd and a TV audience of more than 700 million that the Yorkshire copper was in control of the situation.
Paper Monitor wishes someone with a similar approach had reffed England's tie with Germany - or at least one who could spot the ball crossing the goal line.
The 
