AS.com

It wasn't just about the glory, or the mere achievement of clinching the gold medal. It was the way in which Spain won the 2013 World Men's Handball Championship in front of a partisan crowd at the Sant Jordi Palau on Sunday evening.

Rivals Denmark went into the game unbeaten in the tournament and hoping to convert themselves into Spain's bogey team. Any chance of that happening diminished in the first half as Valero Rivera's men blazed to an unassailable eight-point lead in just 30 minutes. Danish keeper Landin blocked what he could while his opposite number Sterbik simply spooked out anyone who attempted to beat him. Cañellas, Guardiola and Morros meanwhile were a towering presence, giving the 2005 winners strength and depth at the back.

The first half ended 18-10 in favour of Valero's side but Sterbik was kept busy in the second period, pulling out a series of saves to deny the Danes any chance of a comeback. Cañallas finished as the game's top scorer with seven goals and one penalty. With the game sentenced, the Spanish coach gave his fringe players a chance to soak up the atmosphere in the dying moments. It ended 35-19 - the greatest margin ever recorded in any World Championship Final, breaking the previous best of 10 set by Sweden against Czechoslovakia in 1958.

Valero said afterwards: "It could not have turned out any better. It feels slightly unreal, it's incredible that we reached this far and won in the way we did, it's almost like a dream".