Premier League needs more top-class foreign players if it wishes to be regarded as the world's best I've argued in the past there are too many foreign players in England, but I was quite specific in what I meant. I was referring to low-level, poor imports - those players who are no better (or in some cases a lot worse) than the English players they replaced. There have been times cheap foreign buys have been preferred to youngsters coming through an academy. Those are the kind of purchases I queried and still believe harm our league. My argument was if you had two players of the same level, one English and one from abroad, the home-grown player should be given a chance to improve. When you're talking about the world-class players who have graced our shores such as Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba or Alonso, it's an entirely different matter. The more we attract, the more our young players can learn. Playing alongside or against the best makes you better. I know from club experience that a classy overseas influence has an immensely positive influence. Euro 2012 has provided the kind of education English football tends to get every two years. For a month (before the domestic season starts), there is a process of self-revelation where everyone realises how insular English football can be and how much further we have to go. Here's an example: after the Champions League final, I'd hazard a guess most supporters in this country, whatever their allegiance, would have said Ashley Cole was the best left back in the world. It seemed fairly justified given his performances in Europe. Have that vote again this morning. Anyone who doesn't believe Jordi Alba now deserves that title hasn't been watching any football for the last month. At the very least, the viewing figures for the La Liga shows ought to be much higher for the next few seasons so everyone can see what's coming in Brazil in 2014. If there was one image from Sunday's final which will linger in the memory, it was the sight of the Spanish left back scurrying down the wings on another overlapping run. Obviously that led to the second goal, but it was a recurring feature of the game. Sunday was a fitting finale to a fantastic tournament. Spain saved their best until last. It wasn't so much an undermining of the criticism they'd received earlier in the competition as a realisation of the type of devastating, high tempo passing game we'd all been craving more of. We knew what they were capable of and they produced when it mattered. Tournaments are always defined by their final acts. In years to come, it will be the 4-0 victory that will stand out, all those tight, patchy performances earlier on completely forgotten. Xavi, who by his standards had endured an average few games, showed why he is considered in his own country as the greatest Spanish player of all time. Andres Iniesta confirmed why he sits comfortably alongside Lionel Messi and Ronaldo as one of the best players in the world. Fabregas" performances in the past month have possibly been underestimated since he was the key to making the "false nine" tactic a success. The only disappointing aspect of the final was the way the Italians wilted in the final stages, even though they were reduced to 10 men through injury. It was a surprise they didn't line up with the back three that worked so well in the group game against Spain, and when they were 2-0 down I expected they'd tighten up and take their inevitable defeat on the chin. In the end they did neither one thing nor the other, leaving themselves open at the back even though they weren't trying to attack to get back into the game. Looking over the whole competition, the Spanish dominance will clearly continue to have an influence on how football is evolving. This has been the case for a while, certainly since 2008. Football always follows trends, and it can only be positive to see so many aspiring young managers preferring a more technical game based on possession football. We have to be a little careful, however. Spain, and Barcelona in particular, have based their achievements by perfecting a style they've always adopted. When Iniesta and Xavi retire, Barcelona will still play the same way, they just may not have as many brilliant players to make it work so well. They're not compromising any principles by doing what they do, they're just abiding by long-standing ones. The challenge for those clubs or countries influenced by the Spanish brilliance is to ensure they also develop and retain individual strengths that will distinguish them from the rest. We have to be humble and realistic enough to recognise and embrace those overseas influences that will benefit our game, integrating such qualities with our existing strengths in order to preserve and enhance our own identity. Jamie Carragher requested all payments for his Euro 2012 columns be directed to the "23 Foundation."