Spain – World Cup Preview

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In Spain we have a team on the up and up. Fresh from bringing home the Euro 2008 trophy Spain qualified by winning 10 games out of 10 and and scoring 28 goals.

Since the Swiss/Austria Euros the manager has been replaced but the team and the football they play seems much the same and perhaps even a touch more confident. At the helm now is Vincente Del Bosque, taking over from Luis Aragones.

Del Bosque is experienced to say the least, having led Real Madrid to win two Champions League Trophies and twice winning La Liga. It’s safe to say he knows his Spanish football. Under him Spain have lost just one match, this came against the USA in the Confederations Cup semi-final.

The Spanish attacking set up is one feared the world over, the national team is known as ‘the red fury’ and with players like David Villa and Fernando Torres providing the teeth of the attack you can see why. Villa has scored an incredible 37 goals in 57 games for Spain.

Arguably Spain’s success comes from their ability to work the ball up to their impressive striking force (but that’s not to discredit the midfield’s goalscoring output). In Xavi (Hernandez), Andres Iniesta, Xavi Alonso and David Silva Spain have a passing engine room only rivalled by Brazil. And that’s without even mentioning Cesc Fabregas, one of the best young players in the world.

At the back Gerard Pique has recently cemented a role in central defence after missing out on Spain’s Euro 2008 success. Alongside him will likely be Carles Puyol and Sergio Ramos in some formation or another, with Ramos probably playing right back.

By no means least, in goal will be the inimitable Iker Casillas, captaining the squad from the back and proving as reliable as ever in the net.