Former Holland great Johan Cruyff, who played in the 1974 World Cup final, has tipped Spain to beat the Netherlands on Sunday.

Cruyff said he was impressed by the manner of Spain's 1-0 semi-final win over Germany on Wednesday and believes Vicente del Bosque's side will have the edge over his compatriots in the final at Johannesburg's Soccer City.

"Spain is now the great favourite," he wrote in Thursday's edition of the newspaper El Periodico de Catalunya.

"Del Bosque's team has grown in strength and finds itself in the final at the top of its game.

"Yesterday evening (Wednesday) Germany, which put on a display against Argentina, played football which would have been enough to beat any team but not Spain."

Cruyff, 63, a three-time European Footballer of the Year, started his career as a teenager at Ajax Amsterdam before going on to enjoy huge success with Barcelona, whom he then coached to the 1992 European Cup and four straight league titles between 1991 and 1994.

"Spain, a replica of Barca, is the best publicity for football," Cruyff wrote.

"Who am I supporting? I am Dutch but I support the football that Spain is playing."

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