Vienna - Germany coach Joachim Loew said his side were beaten by a better Spain team in Sunday's Euro 2008 final.

"I think we have to recognize the greater quality of the Spanish team today," he said after the 1-0 defeat at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium.

"Of course, we are disappointed to lose but despite this I have to compliment the team for what they have achieved over these past six weeks.

"I told the players they should not be despondent. We managed to get to the final and that's something special. The Spanish had the better chances even if the goal did not have to be conceded the way it was."

Loew, 48, has taken Germany to a first European final since they won the 1996 European Championships in England under Berti Vogts.

Germany under Rudi Voeller did reach the 2002 World Cup final when they lost to 2-0 Brazil.

Under Juergen Klinsmann and with Loew as assistant, the Germans reached the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup in Germany and eventually finished third.

"I had hopes right up the last seconds," said Loew, who from the edge of the coaching zone had been urging his side forward in the last quarter of the game.

"We had one or two chances but at the end of the day we were not as forceful as we've been in the last few months.

"In the last two years we have have often played better football than we have at this tournament.

"For one or two players it could possibly have something to do with the pressure.

"We haven't played to the high levels we are capable of. The Spanish were consistent in this tournament and played at a high level the whole time."

Loew added he could not immediately analyse what went wrong.

"We will sit down in the next few days and look at it. Emotions are high directly after a game," he said. (dpa)