Constant threat: David Villa wheels away after scoring Spain's winner 

Within minutes of Portugal’s elimination from the World Cup, Carlos Queiroz, suggested that his team would ‘hopefully’ play with more ambition the next time they grace this stage.

As David Villa ruthlessly proved, however, by scoring the goal that secured for Spain a quarter-final against Paraguay on Saturday, there is no time like the present to grasp the chance to claim glory.

Spain, with their kaleidoscopic football, are the present and the future. Portugal might be ranked as the third-best team in the world by Fifa, but their negative tactics, with their hopes resting solely on the skills of Cristiano Ronaldo, are thankfully now history at this World Cup.

They appeared frightened to death by the threat posed by Spain’s attacking quartet of Villa, Fernando Torres, Xavi and Andres Iniesta and, when asked by after the game to explain why it had gone so badly wrong, Ronaldo threw the ball firmly at his coach’s feet by replying, "Ask Queiroz."

When Ronaldo performs, Portugal perform. When he doesn’t, it all falls apart. Spain have no such over-reliance on one player, though, and with Torres continuing to struggle to overcome the effects of knee surgery in April, the European champions simply carried on regardless.

Brazil and Argentina have appeared head and shoulders above the competition so far in South Africa, but do not discount Spain. Vicente Del Bosque’s team are pacing themselves ominously.

Del Bosque said: "The match was extremely intense, but we always controlled the game. We had greater depth in our play and controlled it very well.

"But the goal came because we took the initiative and were able to dominate the match. David (Villa) scored the goal but he also had a great game in all aspects.”

Villa’s goal, on 63 minutes, finally broke the resistance of the Portugal goalkeeper Eduardo, who had produced a catalogue of saves to deny the Spaniards.

And it captured the brilliance of Spain in one swift movement. Iniesta’s pass to his playmaking twin Xavi was flicked on to Villa, who saw his first shot saved before hitting the rebound past Eduardo for his fourth goal of the tournament, moving him level with Gonzalo Higuain and Robert Vittek in the race for the Golden Boot.

Portugal needed to come up with an answer, but they had nothing. Their tactic of hitting percentage balls to Ronaldo was negated by Spain and the Real Madrid forward’s frustration at the end of the game was borne out when he appeared to spit towards a television camera as he trudged off the pitch.

Moments earlier, Portugal had been reduced to 10 men following the 89th-minute dismissal of defender Ricardo Costa for flinging at arm at Joan Capdevila.

It was a messy end to a World Cup that had promised so much, both for their star player and the team as a whole.

Spain were just too smart for their Iberian neighbours in every department. Queiroz said: “Our main goal was to win this World Cup and we would like to have gone forward. Hopefully we can come back to the World Cup and play with more ambition next time.

"It was an extremely difficult game, but Spain moved the ball extremely well and also had a greater deal of possession.

"We played very pragmatic football and tried to stop the Spanish moves, but we failed and Spain deserved their victory.”