Spain sealed a dramatic victory over Holland late in extra time thanks to Iniesta's late strike and the popular Barcelona midfielder was hailed by all and sundry in the press on Monday.

Iniesta latched onto a through-ball from Cesc Fabregas and struck an angled drive past Dutch keeper Maarten Stekelenburg to secure a 1-0 victory, before removing his shirt to reveal a moving tribute to former Espanyol captain Dani Jarque, who passed away following a heart attack last year.

"Iniesta opens the gates to heaven," said La Vanguardia.

"Andres, he of the miraculous goals, has done it again," the Barcelona-based national added. "With magnificent control, the pause of a genius and an unstoppable angled shot from an assist from Cesc."

"Another historic 'Iniestazo'," Sport celebrated, alluding to the midfielder's crucial strike against Chelsea in last year's Champions League semi-final, which sealed Barca's passage to the final deep into added time when the Catalans had been on the verge of defeat.

"Iniesta, from Stamford Bridge to world glory at Soccer City," the Catalan paper added.

El Pais also paid tribute to the midfielder.

"Euphoria in Spain as we are crowned champions. On top of the world for the first time, thanks to an Iniesta goal for the eternity which was cheered inside and outside of all the country's borders - Spain is living the dream," the paper said.

And the Madrid-based daily also hailed the player's tribute to Jarque.

"On his vest, as white as him, he remembered there is a person who lives in his heart."

But if Iniesta was the undoubted hero for the Spanish media, the villain was Webb.

The Barclays Premier League official sent off Holland defender John Heitinga after his second yellow card and booked 12 further players, but Nigel de Jong appeared particularly fortunate to avoid a straight red card and the press also found further faults with his performance.

"Holland were able to count on an unexpected ally: referee Howard Webb, who allowed the Dutch to get away with brutal fouls time and time again," El Mundo Deportivo said.

"Holland committed 28 fouls and the referee should have sent off De Jong for a karate kick on Xabi Alonso," La Vanguardia opined, before adding: "(Wesley) Sneijder was also let off and Howard Webb failed to award a penalty for a Heitinga foul on Xavi".

AS agreed, saying: "It was a bad display by Webb, who handed out 12 cards and sent off Heitinga but failed to punish De Jong, (Mark) Van Bommel and (Arjen) Robben."

"Iniesta ensures justice is done," claimed Marca, before launching a furious tirade against Webb.

"Webb is a narcissist who needs a quota of protagonism which doesn't correspond to him, a bad referee yesterday and almost always," wrote Santiago Segurola in his match report.

"He tolerated the lunges from Van Bommel, who has turned into a snapper of heels for the whole of this World Cup. He also allowed a brutal aggression by De Jong on Xabi Alonso. He even handed out the cards equally until the situation was beyond repair. He was on the verge of destroying the final," the writer continued.

The paper also dedicated a whole article to criticising the Rotherham-born official.

"Spain won despite you, Howard Webb," it began.

"It's unfair that Holland finished the first half with 11 players. The English official allowed the Dutch to exhibit their excessively hard play," Marca added.

"Instead of sending off Van Bommel, which he deserved, the referee, Howard Webb was generous and allowed the midfielder to stay on until the end," the paper continued, while complaining that "Howard Webb didn't even book Sneijder for a brutal foul on (Sergio) Busquets."

"If he had applied the correct ruling, he had more than enough reasons to send off Sneijder," Marca added, while claiming that "Heitinga's foul on Xavi should have brought a penalty and a second yellow card."

"If Spain had lost, it would have gone down on the World Cup's black list of bad decisions," the Madrid sports daily said.

The paper also remembered Webb's performance in Spain's opening match in South Africa, a 1-0 defeat against Switzerland.

"Let us not forget that he failed to give two penalties and that Switzerland's goal was achieved from an offside position," Marca concluded.

Sport, meanwhile, chose to celebrate a victory for FC Barcelona, who contributed seven of the final line-up.

"Barca reigns and Villa is joint top scorer," the paper said.

"The triumph is for Spain, but if one team has been fundamental in the victory, it's Barcelona," they added, while remembering that, "apart from (goalkeeper Victor) Valdes, all of the seven Barcelona players have been decisive all the way through the tournament."