This game was all about luck. "We had some bad luck at times, but in the end luck was on our side," said Mendieta. "Penalties are always a lottery. We should have won this game in normal time, but everything worked out in the end."

His cool finishing was a vindication of his potential after a miserable season at Italian side Lazio. Mendieta crossed the Mediterranean last summer from Spanish club Valencia in a massive $41m move, after guiding the club where he had spent most of his career to two successive Champions League finals.

However, early season injuries and a subsequent fall in form saw him spend much of the season on the bench at the Rome-based club. "I’m just glad coach (Jose Antonio) Camacho has kept faith with me, that has been a big help and motivation. He’s been in constant contact with me, telling me not to lose heart," added the Basque.

Mendieta had been Camacho’s first choice, on either the right flank or the centre of the midfield, almost constantly since he awarded him his first cap against Austria in March 1999. However, his dismal time at Lazio has seen him reduced to a back-up role since the start of the year.

His torrid times may be coming to an end though, not least because of yesterday’s crucial penalty and a sparkling performance, a spectacular goal from a free kick, in Spain’s 3-2 victory over South Africa in the first round.

A one-year loan deal to move to Spanish soccer giant Barcelona is all but inked. "I want to get back to Spanish football, at least for a little while, and the thought of going to a great club like Barcelona excites me," Mendieta said last week.

"I expect a deal to be completed after I get back from the World Cup," he added.

The Spanish greeted the advance of their heroes with an explosion of joy and a concert of car horns.

Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar said he had never been happier after the team, one of the favourites to take home the World Cup, clinched the hard-won game after a dramatic penalty shootout.

"I am happy and emotional," Aznar said on Spanish radio. "More contented and happier than ever.

"Spain deserved to win because they were the better side in this match," he said.

Millions gathered to watch the match at home or in bars, while the streets of the capital Madrid and other major cities were deserted as attention focused on the world’s greatest sporting event.

But after the nailbiting win revellers jammed the streets to celebrate, waving Spanish flags and cheering the national heroes.

At the Fountain of Cibeles in the centre of the capital, where supporters traditionally gather to celebrate the exploits of Real Madrid, jubilant crowds sang the traditional Que Viva Espana in a blazing summer sun and temperatures close to 40C.

Some of the liveliest spots were the many Irish pubs across the country, where fans of both nations had come together in friendly rivalry to drink beer and watch on television the match in the South Korean city of Suwon.