Kozhikode, June 30 (IANS) When Iker Casillas, captain of the Spanish soccer team, lifted the Euro Cup in Vienna early Monday, fans dressed in Spanish colours went into raptures at Ninam Valappu, a suburb here, holding the replica of the cup. Ninam Valappu did not sleep Sunday night as German and Spanish soccer teams clashed for the Euro Cup 2008 in Vienna.

It was a night of festivities at the Government Lower Primary School here where hundreds of people, many wearing Spanish and German colours, gathered to witness the soccer match shown live on a big screen.

Ninam Valappu is not strange to such football frenzy as all major international soccer events are greeted with great enthusiasm.

But this time, what added to the euphoria was a wooden model of the Euro Cup that was kept ready by the Ninam Valappu Football Fans’ Association to be presented to the fans of the winning team.

“Spain should have won with at least 10 goals. The Germans are fortunate that they conceded only one,” said N.V. Samad, captain of the Spanish fans team.

“Spain played beautifully. They should have scored three to four goals,” said another Spanish fan Mujib Rehman.

The preparation for the finals had begun in Ninam Valappu early Sunday with fans of both the teams seen on the streets wearing colours of their favourite team.

“The Spanish team played beautifully with short passes. All their members were in full form. German fans were very disappointed,” said N.V. Subair, president of the association.

Subair said: “The association arranged the screening of the Euro Cup matches for people free of cost. A private company (Castrol) had come forward to sponsor the event.”