It's all over. One month of nation versus nation. Continent versus continent. It came down to a couple European powers, Spain and the Netherlands. With five minutes left in overtime, Spain finally got one across the line and won their first World Cup, 1-0.

I remember at the beginning of June when a soccer-obsessed friend asked me if I was going to watch the World Cup, and I told him I always watch the big one. He asked who I was going to root for, and I said after a dramatic pause 'The United States.' He thought about it for a moment before he realized I was serious.

We all know that soccer is a entertainment-challenged sport in the US, and while the MLS still exists, the popularity of the sports usually comes and goes with the main 'once-every-four-years' event. Although many kids play soccer, it doesn't quite have the score hungry satiation of football, basketball and baseball. As a result, our national soccer team has never been able to play with the big boys.

I loved this World Cup, and it was in no small part that most of the games came on at 8 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. I love daytime sports, and since my daughter gets up around 8 in the morning, I would pop out of bed on days I didn't work and pop on a match. My girl would whimper about Sponge Bob for a minute but accepted her father's adamant position that soccer would stay on.

My wife and I even started kicking the soccer ball around in the park. We've noticed instant changes in our strength, toning and agility.

Of course, I rooted for the US through group play, and there was plenty of drama. The gift goal from England, the controversial wave off goal against Slovenia (where is that again?), and the miracle put back by Donovan against Algeria. None of them were exactly soccer juggernauts, but the US found a way to win the weak group and advance to the round of 16.

Then came Ghana. Our boys did what they did in almost every game: give up an early goal and play from behind. They tied it up, but found a way to give up a goal in early overtime and get bounced out of the tournament. By the way, would someone please make FIFA bring back the golden goal? First team to score in overtime wins. That should be that. Honestly, the US did as well as I could hope for, and from the quarterfinals on, only teams of quality would play.

Germany looked great until they ran into the staunch Spanish defense. Uruguay shocked everyone until Netherlands bombed them. Ghana blew the most amazing chance to be the first African nation to make the semis. Brazil never looked really beautiful in the beautiful game, and Argentina looked good but couldn't defend against Germans. South America looked great in the early rounds, and Europe proved best in the end.

People (mainly Americans) complained about the vuvuzelas (African horns), referees and instant replay, but I couldn't care less. American aren't happy unless they are complaining about being annoyed, and strangely, they don't realize how annoying their complaining really is.

Now, Spain has won their first World Cup, and the Netherlands tried to beat them up and steal it. Both sides had their chances. It's all over, and I don't have my 8 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. entertainment anymore.

The big question for America is 'Will the sport catch on?' They ask that question after every World Cup, and the answer is always 'kind of, but not really.' My soccer friend asked if I would watch the nine months of club play, but I told him it's hard for me to root for soccer unless I have a nation to cheer on. Like tennis, I'm down with the big tournaments, but I just don't have time to root for every match.

So my World Cup has now runneth over once again, and we'll have to see what we can do in this country for the sport in four years. Of course, they are also trying to make mixed-martial arts an official sport, and I have no interest in that. If you have to constantly prove to everyone you're legitimate, maybe you really aren't.

That's another column, and all I know is Big Time Soccer is done. It will be missed. You know until the next big sports playoff.

Chris Jungle will still kick a soccer ball around in the park with his wife.