Spain won its third straight major soccer title today, beating Italy 4-0 in the European Championship final. David Silva and Jordi Alba scored first-half goals, and Fernando Torres and Juan Mata added two more in the second half as the Spanish passing game worked its magic against the Italians at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, the Ukraine. Silva headed in a high shot in the 14th minute off a pass from Cesc Fabregas.
Alba added another in the 41st, picking up a beautiful through ball from Xavi Hernandez and shooting past Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Torres posted the third goal in the 84th, becoming the first man to score in two European Championship finals. Mata scored in the 88th. Spain won the Euro 2008 title four years ago in Vienna and followed that up with the World Cup title in Johannesburg two years ago. (More soccer stories.)