Salud! (Also, Proost!)

Long anticipated, much ballyhooed, endlessly speculated upon. And now it’s here. Final day, World Cup 2010.

Let us lift a glass, then, to all of the sweat, balls and missed calls of the previous month. And let us do so in the spirit of the teams still standing on Sunday.

Beer is big in the Netherlands. Legal drinking kicks in at 16 there, and nobody looks back. Indeed, this humble lowland exports more beer, proportionately speaking, than any other country in the world. A full half of its sudsy production leaves its shores.

Pale lagers are king in Holland, with superstars Grolsch and Heineken holding court. Heineken, the world’s third-largest brewer, is the greatest throne sitter of all.

A 5% pale lager that’s brewed by 40 breweries in almost as many countries, this tasty elixir in its signature green bottle has been the flagship product of Heineken International, the darling of Zoeterwoude, since 1873. It’s won a whack of awards in the meantime, including the Medaille d’Or and the Grande Prix, in 1875 and 1889, respectively.

In 2006, more than 250 million litres of Heineken were brewed, consumed and no doubt released to the sewer systems of the world.

In Spain, wine’s more the thing than beer. But don’t kid yourself, oh thirsty fütbol fan. There’s plenty of cerveza to be had from this colourful kingdom, as well. Try some of the many local offerings, or go for a national brand, like Estrella Damm, Mahou or Cruzcampo, a premium pilsener that’s one of Europe’s top 10.

On to the finals then. And may the best beer win.