By ALAN CLENDENNING, CIARAN GILES
updated 6:14 p.m. ET July 1, 2012
MADRID - Spaniards blasted off fireworks and jumped for joy after their soccer team won the European Championship on Sunday night, giving the country a burst of national pride and temporary relief from the crushing economic woes that have engulfed the nation.
Tens of thousands gathered in central Madrid to watch their team beat Italy 4-0 and shout out "Gol!" more times than they thought possible. Even better for Spain, the country's team became the first ever to win a Euro, then a World Cup and then another Euro.
"We needed this win to counteract the suffering caused by the crisis, which seems endless," said a smiling Antonio Ferrillo in downtown Madrid.
Spain has the highest unemployment rate in the 17-nation eurozone, is immersed in a deepening recession and recently asked for a bailout to prop up its hurting banks.
Cars drove by with passengers yelling "Espana!, Espana!" and "I am Spanish! I am Spanish!" as they waved the country's red and yellow flag.
The victory gave Spaniards undisputed proof the team is the best in the world, setting off celebrations in all corners of the country.
"This is the best thing in the world that could happen," Vanesa Galilea, a 32-year-old civil servant, said as she danced with friends and thousands more in Madrid's central Cibeles square. "This generation of soccer players is incredible.
"Tonight everyone can forget about the crisis, but it won't disappear, unfortunately," she said. "Economically this won't change anything, but at least we will be happy for a while. Half of Spain won't show up at work tomorrow, that's for sure!"
Crowds hugged each other, cried and danced with glee after they watched Spain win on a huge screen erected outside the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, the home of the Real Madrid club team.
"This is very important for Spain and if it brings the risk premium down tomorrow, all the better,'" said Adrian Barajas, a 35-year-old bank clerk, referring to the skyrocketing risk premium level for Spanish government debt that has raised fears the nation may soon need a full-blown public finances bailout like those accepted by Greece, Portugal and Ireland.
Sunday's stunning victory "will raise morale for sure, but for three days, no more," Barajas said. "Spaniards realize this is just soccer."
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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More newsAFP - Getty ImagesXavi had Spain on its game
PST: Midfielder's pinpoint passing, pace and skill had Spain on track right from the start in its 4-0 win against Italy.
Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/48035916/ns/sports-soccer/
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