Spain

Nickname(s)	La Selección (The Selection) La Furia Roja (The Red Fury) La Roja (The Red One)
Association	Real Federación Española de Fútbol
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Vicente Del Bosque
Captain	Iker Casillas
Most caps	Andoni Zubizarreta (126)
Top scorer	Raúl González (44)
FIFA code	ESP
FIFA ranking	1st
Highest FIFA ranking	1st (July 2008)
Lowest FIFA ranking	25 (March 1998)
Elo ranking	1st
Highest Elo ranking	1st (1920, 1921, 1925, 2002, June 2008)
Lowest Elo ranking	20 (June 1969, June 1981)
Home colours Away colours
First international
Spain 1 - 0 Denmark  (Brussels, Belgium; 28 August 1920)
Biggest win
Spain 13 - 0 Bulgaria  (Madrid, Spain; 21 May 1933)
Biggest defeat
Italy 7 - 1 Spain  (Amsterdam, Netherlands; 4 June 1928)  England 7 - 1 Spain  (London, England; 9 December 1931)
World Cup
Appearances	12 (First in 1934)
Best result	Fourth place, 1950
European Championship
Appearances	8 (First in 1964)
Best result	Winners, 1964, 2008

The Spain National Football Team, commonly referred to as La Selección, is the national football team of Spain and is controlled by the Real Federación Española de Fútbol. They are the current European Champions, having won the 2008 UEFA European Championship. In July 2008, Spain rose to the #1 spot in the FIFA World Ranking for the first time in their history, becoming only the sixth nation (and the first who had never won the World Cup) to top these rankings. Image File history File links RFEF.PNG Summary Royal Spanish Football Federation pennant Licensing This is a logo of a corporation, team, or other organization related to sports, and is protected by copyright and/or trademark. ... The Royal Spanish Football Federation (Spanish: , RFEF) is the governing body of football in Spain. ... The Union Européenne de Football Association or Union of European Football Associations in English, almost always referred to by the acronym UEFA (pronounced (you-AY-fuh) or (oo-Ay-fuh) or ), is the administrative and controlling body for European football. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Vicente del Bosque (born December 23, 1950, in Salamanca, Spain) is a Spanish football coach known for coaching Real Madrid from 1999-2003, its most successful period in recent history, and as a result, makes him arguably one of the illustrious clubs most successful coaches of all time. ... Iker Casillas Fernández (born May 20, 1981 in Móstoles, Madrid) is a Spanish football goalkeeper. ... A cap is an appearance for a select team, such as a school, county or international team in sports. ... Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta (born October 23, 1961 in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Araba) is a former Spanish football goalkeeper, and the all-time most capped player for the Spanish national team. ... For other uses, see Raúl González (disambiguation). ... FIFA assigns a three-letter code (dubbed FIFA Trigramme) to each of its member and non-member countries. ... This article is about the mens rankings. ... The World Football Elo Ratings (Elo is pronounced E-L-O despite not being an acronym) is a ranking system for mens national teams in football. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... It has been suggested that replica shirt be merged into this article or section. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... It has been suggested that replica shirt be merged into this article or section. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Denmark. ... This article is about the settlement itself. ... is the 240th day of the year (241st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Second_Spanish_Republic. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Bulgaria. ... This article is about the Spanish capital. ... is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946). ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... For other uses, see Amsterdam (disambiguation). ... is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... First international Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Second_Spanish_Republic. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The FIFA World Cup, sometimes called the Football World Cup or the Soccer World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the mens national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the... Qualifying countries The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second World Cup staged, and was hosted in Italy from May 27 to June 10. ... Qualifying countries The 1950 FIFA World Cup was the only one not decided by a knockout final. ... The UEFA European Championship is the main football competition of the mens national football teams governed by the UEFA. Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the European Nations Cup, changing to the name European Football Championship... The 1964 European Football Championship, then called the European Nations Cup, was the second edition of the European Football Championship, held every four years and endoresed by UEFA. The final tournament was held in Spain. ... The 1964 European Football Championship, then called the European Nations Cup, was the second edition of the European Football Championship, held every four years and endoresed by UEFA. The final tournament was held in Spain. ... This article is about the 2008 sporting event. ... Football (soccer) has been included in every Summer Olympic Games except 1896 and 1932 as a mens competition sport. ... The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were held in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium. ... The football at the 1920 Summer Olympics, was one of the 154 events at the 1920 Summer Olympics, held in Antwerp. ... The 92 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were held in 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... The Football competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics was the first Under-23 competition. ... The 2000 Summer Olympics or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were the Summer Olympic Games celebrated in 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ... The football tournament at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the 20th official Olympic Games football tournament. ... Soccer redirects here. ... The Royal Spanish Football Federation (Spanish: , RFEF) is the governing body of football in Spain. ... The 2008 European Football Championship (EURO 2008) will take place in Austria and Switzerland. ... This article is about world cups in general. ...

History

Early Years

Spain made their international football debut in 1920 at the Olympic Games in Antwerp and won the silver medal. They played their first home international in 1921, beating Belgium 2-0 in Bilbao. They also became the first non-British side to beat England when they won 4-3 in a friendly in Madrid in 1929. Spain, however, did not enter the 1930 World Cup. Four years later, Spain qualified for the second World Cup held in Italy in 1934. The Spanish side progressed to the quarterfinals and drew 1-1 with Italy. Under the rules of the time, the game was settled by a rematch which Italy won 1-0. The football at the 1920 Summer Olympics, was one of the 154 events at the 1920 Summer Olympics, held in Antwerp. ... For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ... La Muy Noble y Muy Leal e Invicta (The most noble and most loyal and undefeated) Location Location of Bilbao in Spain and Biscay Coordinates : , Time zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer : CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Bilbao (Basque) Spanish name Bilbao Nickname El Botxo (the hole) Founded 15... First international Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in... This article is about the Spanish capital. ... The 1930 FIFA World Cup was the first football World Cup tournament ever staged. ... Qualifying countries The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second World Cup staged, and was hosted in Italy from May 27 to June 10. ...

The Spanish Civil War and World War II prevented Spain from playing a competitive match until the 1950 World Cup. There they topped their group against England, Chile and the United States to progress to the final round. The cup was decided in games against the other group winners — Brazil, Uruguay, and Sweden. Success in the tournament eluded the Spaniards as they gained only one point by drawing with eventual winners Uruguay, losing to both Brazil and Sweden. The 1950 World Cup would be Spain's best ever World Cup finish (fourth place). Afterwords Spain entered a period of football wilderness and did not make another major appearance for ten years. Not to be confused with the Spanish Civil War of 1820-1823. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Qualifying countries The 1950 FIFA World Cup was the only one not decided by a knockout final. ... First international Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in...

Under French-Argentine coach Helenio Herrera, Spain came out of dormancy to qualify for the first European Championship in 1960. Spain beat Poland 7-2 on aggregate to progress to the quarterfinals. However, Spain forfeit its quarterfinal tie with the Soviet Union because of political circumstances between Spain's dictator Franco and the Soviets. Helenio Herrera, (born April 17, 1916 in Buenos Aires; died November 9, 1997 in Venice) was a football defender and after ending his playing carrer became one of the most influencial managers in the history of the game. ... The 1960 UEFA European Nations Cup was the first European Football Championship, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. The final tournament was held in France. ... Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (December 4, 1892 - November 20, 1975), commonly known as Francisco Franco (pronounced ) or Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was leader of Spain from October 1936, as regent of Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in 1975. ...

European Champions and the Villalonga Era

In 1962 José Villalonga was appointed coach of Spain. Under Villalonga, Spain qualified for the 1962 World Cup but exited in the first round in a tough group against Brazil, Czechoslovakia, and Mexico. Two years later they hosted the European Championship. With a squad that included Luis Suárez, Francisco Gento, Josep Fusté and José Ángel Iribar, Spain beat Romania, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to move on to the semifinals. There they beat highly-favored Hungary 2-1 in extra time. They went on to face the USSR 2-1 before a crowd of more than 79,000 at the Bernabéu in Madrid. Jesus María Pereda put Spain ahead after just six minutes, but Galimzian Khusainov equalised a few minutes later with a free kick. Marcelino Martínez put in a late header to win Spain's first major international title. José Villalonga Llorente ( born Córdoba, Spain, December 12, 1919, died August 8, 1973), commonly referred to as José Villalonga and also known as Pepe Villalonga, was a Spanish football manager during the 1950s and 1960s. ... Qualifying countries The 1962 FIFA World Cup, the seventh staging of the World Cup, was held in Chile from May 30 to June 17. ... The 1964 UEFA European Nations Cup was the second edition of the quadrennial European Football Championship, endorsed by UEFA. The final tournament was held in Spain. ... Luis Suárez Miramontes (born May 2, 1935, La Coruña, Galicia) is a former Spanish footballer and manager. ... Francisco Gento López (born October 21, 1933 in Guarnizo, Santander) was a Spanish football player. ... Josep María Fusté Blanch (born Liñola, Lleida, April 15, 1941), was a Spanish/Catalan footballer and captain of CF Barcelona during the 1960s and early 1970s. ... José Ángel Iribar Cortajarena (born March 1, 1943 in Zarautz, Guipúzcoa) is a Basque ex-footballer and manager. ... For the Irish FAs all-Ireland international team, see Ireland national football team (IFA). ... First International Estonia 2 - 4 USSR (Tallinn, Estonia; 18 September 1923) Last International Cyprus 0 - 3 USSR (Larnaca, Cyprus; 13 November 1991 Scotland 3 - 0 CIS (Norrköping, Sweden; 18 June 1992) Largest win USSR 11 - 1 India (Moscow, USSR; 16 September 1955) Finland 0 - 10 USSR (Helsinki, Finland; 15... The Santiago Bernabéu is a football stadium in Madrid, Spain. ... This article is about the Spanish capital. ... Jesus María Pereda Ruiz de Temiñó ( born Medina de Pomar, Burgos, June 23rd, 1938), also known as Chus Peredá or Txus Pereda, was a Spanish football player and coach. ... Marcelino Martínez Cao, also known as Marcelino (born in Ares, A Coruña (province), April 29, 1940), was a former Spanish football (soccer) player. ...

As European Champions, Spain automatically qualified for the 1966 World Cup retaining much of the same squad from 1964 and keeping José Villalonga at the reigns. However, they failed to make an impression and exited in the first round, defeating only Switzerland and losing to West Germany and Argentina. Qualifying countries The 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from July 11 to July 30. ... For a full history of the West Germany national football team, see Germany national football team. ...

1968 to 1975

The departure of Villalonga put Spain into another period of wilderness with mixed results. After winning their group in the qualifying rounds of the 1968 European Championship, they were knocked out by England in the quarterfinals and did not make it to the final tournament held in Italy. Spain did not qualify for another tournament until Euro 76. First international Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in...

Post-Francoist Spain, Late 70s and Early 80s

Spain came back into contention with an impressive undefeated performance in their Euro 76 qualifying group which featured Romania, Scotland, and Denmark. But Spain's momentum ran out in the quarterfinals, where they lost 3-1 on aggregate to a dominant West German side. First international Scotland 0–0 England  (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win Scotland 11–0 Ireland  (Glasgow, Scotland; 23 February 1901) Biggest defeat  Uruguay 7–0 Scotland (Basel, Switzerland; 19 June 1954) World Cup Appearances 8 (First in 1954) Best result Round 1, all European Championship Appearances 2 (First... First international Switzerland 5 - 3 Germany (Basel, Switzerland; April 5, 1908) Biggest win Germany 16 - 0 Russia (Stockholm, Sweden; July 1, 1912) Biggest defeat England amateur 9 - 0 Germany (Oxford, England; March 16, 1909) World Cup Appearances 16 (First in 1934) Best result Winners, 1954, 1974, 1990 European Championship Appearances...

The 1978 World Cup witnessed Spain's first World Cup appearance since 1966. Spain qualified by defeating Yugoslavia home and away and losing only to Romania in Bucharest. In the final tournament Spain were drawn into group 3 with Brazil, Austria, and Sweden. Spain started the finals by losing 2-1 to Austria, but kept their hopes alive drawing with Brazil 0-0 and defeating Sweden 1-0. But it was too little too late for Spain and they didn't proceed out of the group. The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the World Cup, was held in Argentina between June 1 and June 25. ... First international Czechoslovakia 7 - 0 Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Antwerp, Belgium; 28 August 1920) Last International as SFR Yugoslavia[2] Netherlands 2 - 0 Yugoslavia (Amsterdam, Netherlands; 25 March 1992) Biggest win Yugoslavia 10 - 1 India (Helsinki, Finland; 15 July 1952) Yugoslavia 9 - 0 Zaire (Gelsenkirchen, Germany; 18 June... Nickname: Motto: Patria si Dreptul Meu (My Country and My Right) Location of Bucharest within Romania (in red) Coordinates: , Country County Founded 1459 (first official record) Government  - Mayor Sorin Oprescu (Independent) Area  - City 228 km² (88 sq mi)  - Metro 238 km² (91. ...

Euro 80 saw Spain qualify for the first eight-team European championship. After surpassing Romania, Yugoslavia, and Cyprus, Spain was drawn into group B with England, Italy, and Belgium. Spain gained only one point after a draw with Italy and again exited without reaching the quarterfinals. First international Czechoslovakia 7 - 0 Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Antwerp, Belgium; 28 August 1920) Last International as SFR Yugoslavia[2] Netherlands 2 - 0 Yugoslavia (Amsterdam, Netherlands; 25 March 1992) Biggest win Yugoslavia 10 - 1 India (Helsinki, Finland; 15 July 1952) Yugoslavia 9 - 0 Zaire (Gelsenkirchen, Germany; 18 June... First international Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in...

1982 World Cup in Spain

In 1976 Spain was selected as host of the 1982 FIFA World Cup. This edition of the World Cup featured 24 teams for the first time. Expectations were high for Spain as the host nation under coach José Santamaría. In the group stages, Spain was drawn into Group 5 with Northern Ireland, Yugoslavia, and Honduras. Under pressure to perform well, Spain struggled through their group. On their first day of competition, they could only manage a 1-1 draw with unfancied Honduras. They picked up momentum with an impressive 2-1 victory over Yugoslavia but were defeated 1-0 by Northern Ireland. Despite the defeat, Spain progressed to the second round where they were drawn into Group B with West Germany and England. Spain's campaign ended when they were defeated by West Germany 2-1 and drew 0-0 with England, and as disappointment swept the country, Santamaría was sacked. The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th staging of the World Cup, was held in Spain from June 13 to July 11. ... José Emilio Santamaría (born July 31, 1929) is a football player and later, manager. ... For the Irish FAs all-Ireland international team, see Ireland national football team (IFA). ... First international Czechoslovakia 7 - 0 Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Antwerp, Belgium; 28 August 1920) Last International as SFR Yugoslavia[2] Netherlands 2 - 0 Yugoslavia (Amsterdam, Netherlands; 25 March 1992) Biggest win Yugoslavia 10 - 1 India (Helsinki, Finland; 15 July 1952) Yugoslavia 9 - 0 Zaire (Gelsenkirchen, Germany; 18 June... First international Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in...

1984 to 1988

After a disappointing World Cup campaign on home soil, Spain were desperate to regain their credibility on the world footballing stage. Former Real Madrid coach Miguel Muñoz, who had temporarily coached Spain in 1969, returned to the national side. Spain topped Euro 84 qualifying Group 7, which consisted of the Netherlands, Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]], Iceland, and Malta. Spain passed the qualifying stage unexpectedly, as they had to defeat Malta by at least 11 goals to surpass the Netherlands for the top spot in the group. After going into the half leading Malta 3-1, Spain scored 9 goals in the second half to win by 12-1 and conquer the group. In the final tournament, Spain were dubbed as outsiders by bookmakers despite many talented players and a strong football league. Spain were drawn into group B with West Germany, Portugal, and Romania. In their first game, they drew 1-1 with underdogs Romania. Three days later they drew 1-1 again with Portugal. Spain topped the group with an impressive 1-0 victory over West Germany to avenge their defeat two years earlier. The semifinals saw Spain paired with darkhorses Denmark. With the game ending 1-1 after extra time, Spain defeated Denmark 5-4 on penalties after Preben Elkjær shot over the bar. Going beyond anyone's expectations Spain reached the final to face the hosts and tournament favorites France. Led by captain Michel Platini, France were tipped as heavy favorites and defeated Spain 2-0 after a goalless first half. Miguel Muñoz Mozún ( b. ... Michel François Platini (born June 21, 1955) is a French former football manager and midfielder, and current president of the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations). ...

To build on their impressive Euro 84 performance, Muñoz helped Spain qualify for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Spain progressed in qualifying having topped Group 7 with Scotland, Wales, and Iceland. Muñoz took Spain to Mexico with a mixed squad of new and veteran players. Spain's group in the final tournament consisted of Brazil, Northern Ireland, and Algeria. Spain began the tournament nervously losing to Brazil 1-0. However, they progressed after beating Northern Ireland by 2-1 and Algeria by 3-0. Round 2 paired Spain with Denmark which had swept its group with three victories. In what was one of the strangest World Cup games, Spain defeated Denmark 5-1 with Emilio Butragueño scoring four goals. Spain progressed to the quarterfinals to face a Belgian side fresh off an impressive 4-3 victory over the USSR. The game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and — with neither side scoring in extra time — proceeded to penalty kicks. Spain's 1986 campaign ended with Belgium winning 5-4 on penalties. Despite their quarterfinal exit, the squad of 1986 was Spain's highest-scoring national team until 2008. The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from May 31 to June 29. ... First international Scotland 0–0 England  (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win Scotland 11–0 Ireland  (Glasgow, Scotland; 23 February 1901) Biggest defeat  Uruguay 7–0 Scotland (Basel, Switzerland; 19 June 1954) World Cup Appearances 8 (First in 1954) Best result Round 1, all European Championship Appearances 2 (First... First international  Scotland 4 - 0 Wales (Glasgow, Scotland; 26 March 1876) Biggest win Wales 11 - 0 Ireland  (Wrexham, Wales; 3 March 1888) Biggest defeat  Scotland 9 - 0 Wales (Glasgow, Scotland; 23 March 1878) World Cup Appearances 1 (First in 1958) Best result Quarter-finals, 1958 The Wales national football team... For the Irish FAs all-Ireland international team, see Ireland national football team (IFA). ... Emilio Butragueño Santos (born July 22, 1963 in Madrid) is a former Spanish football forward. ... State motto (Russian): Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Translated: Workers of the world, unite!) Capital Moscow Official language None; Russian (de facto) Government Federation of Soviet republics Area  - Total  - % water 1st before collapse 22,402,200 km² Approx. ...

Muñoz was retained as coach for Euro 88. As in the several previous tournaments Spain qualified impressively in a group with Austria, Romania, and Albania. Spain were drawn into group A with West Germany, Italy, and Denmark. They began their tournament with a 3-2 victory over Denmark. However, their luck ended when they were knocked-out in the group stage after losing 1-0 and 2-0 to Italy and West Germany, respectively.

1990 to 1992

The 90s began with Spain looking to perform well and compensate for poor performances at Euro 88 at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. For 1990, Spain's new coach Luis Suárez selected many new players including Manuel Jiménez, Genar Andrinúa, and Martín Vázquez. Spain qualified from a group consisting of Republic of Ireland, Hungary, Northern Ireland, and Malta. Before the tournament Spain looked impressive by going almost undefeated in their friendly and qualifier games. In the final tournament Spain was in group E with Belgium, Uruguay, and Korea Republic. Spain began with a less than impressive 0-0 draw with Uruguay. They later defeated Korea 3-1 and avenged Belgium 2-1 after 1986. Spain's impressive first round performance was tarnished by a 2-1 defeat to Yugoslavia in the second round. As a reuslt Spain exited earlier than expected having disappointed their fans for not improving on their 1986 campaign. Manuel Jiménez Jiménez (born 21 January 1964) is a former Spanish footballer, currently working as the coach of Sevilla. ... Genar Andrinúa Cortabarría (born 9 May 1964) is a former Spanish footballer. ... Rafael Martín Vázquez (born September 25, 1965 in Madrid) was a Spanish football midfielder. ...

Further disappointment followed when newly appointed coach Vicente Miera failed to qualify Spain for Euro 92 after finishing third in a group behind France and Czechoslovakia. Vicente Miera did however lead Spain to the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

Clemente's reign, 1992-98

Javier Clemente was appointed as Spain's coach in 1992 in hopes of bringing home a major international trophy. The 1994 World Cup was once again a testing ground for Spain's ability to perform well at the senior level. Spain qualified very impressively with nineteen points from twelve matches, a twenty three goal differential, and ranked as number five in Europe. In the final tournament Spain were drawn in Group C with Germany, Bolivia, and Korea Republic. The Spaniards were expected to easily progress to the second round alongside Germany. In their first game Spain drew with Korea 2-2 having given up a 2-0 lead. Three days later they drew 1-1 with Germany also giving up the lead. Spain qualified for the second round as expected with a 3-1 victory over Bolivia. Spain continued their success in the second round with a 3-0 victory over Switzerland. Their success ended with a controversial 2-1 defeat to Italy in the quarter-finals. A nasty and bloody foul committed by Mauro Tassotti towards Luis Enrique left the Spanish midfielder's nose broken in the penalty box, but with no penalty call given, Roberto Baggio would score the game winner for Italy in the last minutes. The 1994 campaign was seen as one of Spain's best despite the disappointment. Spain were once again left searching for a performance beyond the quarter-finals. Luis Enrique, fullname Luis Enrique Martínez García (born May 8, 1970 in Gijon) is a former Spanish footballer. ...

Clemente was hoping to build on their impressive yet disappointing performance in 1994 to perform well at Euro 96. Spain qualified as expected with impressive results from their group consisting of Denmark, Belgium, Cyprus, Macedonia, and Armenia. The final tournament witnessed Spain in a group with France, Romania, and Bulgaria. Their first game once again proved to be below expectations as they failed to beat Bulgaria and drew 1-1. After Bulgaria, Spain faced what proved to be a very strong French side but fought to sluggish 1-1 draw. Spain confirmed their place in the quarter-finals with a 2-1 win over a weak Romanian squad. In their quarter-final match with host England, Spain ran out of luck as they had a pair of goals questionably disallowed and were denied two possible penalties.^[1] Spain eventually fell 4-2 in the shootout.

In his second World Cup as Spain's coach, Clemente put his team through intensive training to try to put themselves as serious contenders to do well at the 1998 World Cup in France after yet another dismal performance at Euro 96. Many new rising stars such as Raúl González and Fernando Morientes were giving Spanish fans hope for the upcoming tournament. Despite falling in the world rankings to a record low before the World Cup, Spain went undefeated in their qualifying group with Yugoslavia and Czech Republic being the other contenders. Spain qualified with fourteen other European sides in the first ever thirty-two team World Cup. Group D consisted of Spain, Bulgaria, Paraguay, and Nigeria, many considered this group to be the Group of Death of the entire tournament. In their first game against African powers Nigeria, Spain led 1-0 and 2-1 in each half with much superiority. However, Nigeria amazingly turned the game around in the last twenty minutes and won 3-2 largely in part by an error made by all-time capped Spanish goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta. This defeat left Spain's hopeful campaign in ruins and sent Javier Clemente searching for answers. Their second game was a minor improvement, but left Spanish fans disappointed once again as Spain could only manage a 0-0 draw with Paraguay. After only a point from their first two games, Spain needed to rely on Nigeria and Paraguay drawing their match in order to qualify. In their last group game Spain fought valiantly to crush Bulgaria 6-1 hoping that goal differential would send them through. Spain's hopes did not go as planned as Paraguay defeated Nigeria 3-1. Spain were eliminated in the first round with only four points and finished third behind Paraguay and Nigeria. This was by far one of the most disappointing Spanish campaigns in recent times. For other uses, see Raúl González (disambiguation). ... Fernando Morientes Sánchez (born 5 April 1976 in Cilleros, Cáceres) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Valencia. ... Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta (born October 23, 1961 in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Araba) is a former Spanish football goalkeeper, and the all-time most capped player for the Spanish national team. ...

Euro 2000 and World Cup 2002

After a 3-2 opening defeat to Cyprus in Euro 2000 qualifying Clemente was sacked and José Antonio Camacho was promptly appointed as coach. Camacho immediately turned Spain's campaign around and Spain won the rest of their games to qualify for Euro 2000, including two 9-0 wins against Austria and San Marino. Once again Spain's hopes rested on a new coach and young players such as Raúl González, Fernando Morientes, Míchel Salgado, and Juan Carlos Valerón. Spain again were going to a major competition as one of the contenders for the title. In the final tournament Spain were in group C with Norway, Slovenia, and Yugoslavia. As always, Spain started their campaign with disappointment, losing 1-0 to the Norwegians. But Spain got back into the tournament with a 2-1 victory over the Slovenians. Their last game proved to be another nerve wreck as they looked to be going out of the tournament. Their last game was against Balkan powerhouse Yugoslavia. Spain started the match nervously by going down 1-0 with a goal from Yugoslav forward Savo Milošević. Alfonso Pérez was able to put a goal back for Spain in the 38th minute ending the first half with a 1-1 score. However, shortly after halftime Spain went down again 2-1 but made it 2-2 on 51 minutes with a goal by Pedro Munitis. Spain went down yet again for the third time, with the score 3-2 at 75 minutes. With only fifteen minutes left Spain desperately searched for an equalizer. After throwing every player forward Spain was still down 3-2, but at the 90th minute another Spanish goal from a late penalty by Gaizka Mendieta and a dramatic second goal by Alfonso Pérez in the dying seconds of stoppage time astonishingly turned the game around making the final score 4-3 for Spain. Spain finished at the top of group C to book a quarterfinal clash with 1998 World Cup Champions, France. After the thrilling clash with Yugoslavia, Spain were confident in shocking the world champions. The game began with a dramatic first half with bombardment of both goals. The half ended 2-1 for the French. However, late in the second half Spain was awarded a penalty. Raúl González took the spot kick but shot over the crossbar. Despite a strong Spanish attack France held on to win and knock Spain out prematurely. Disappointment and sadness swept Spain as the team could not impress their fans and suffered yet another quarterfinal exit. For other uses, see Raúl González (disambiguation). ... Fernando Morientes Sánchez (born 5 April 1976 in Cilleros, Cáceres) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Valencia. ... Miguel Ángel Salgado Fernández (born October 22, 1975 in As Neves, Galicia) is a Galician footballer, who currently plays in the right back position for Real Madrid of Spain. ... Juan Carlos Valerón Santana (born 17 June 1975 in Arguineguin, Gran Canaria) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a midfielder, currently for Deportivo de La Coruña. ... This article is about world cups in general. ... For other uses, see Raúl González (disambiguation). ...

Spain hoped once again for a good World Cup impression in 2002 in the Far East. Qualifying went as expected for Spain as they topped an easy group consisting of Austria, Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Liechtenstein. Under Camacho Spain hoped that lessons learned from Euro 2000 would bring them better luck. But for Santiago Cañizares it was bad luck. Right before the competition started, he got injured and couldn't participate as the starting goalkeeper. This gave the 21 year old Iker Casillas the starting position. In the final tournament Spain were drawn into group B with Slovenia, Paraguay, and South Africa. This time Spain began the World Cup very strongly with 3-1 victories over Slovenia and Paraguay and a 3-2 victory over South Africa. Spain topped the group with nine points to face off a second round contest with the Republic of Ireland. An early goal from Spanish striker Fernando Morientes gave hope to the Spaniards. With just stoppage time remaining after the 90th minute, Fernando Hierro brought Robbie Keane down in the penalty box and Ireland was awarded a penalty. The same man who had been fouled pulled the Irish level and the game went to extra-time where, unexpectedly, Spain was left with nine players on the field due to back-to-back injuries and no more sub-ins available. However, Spain were able to hold on and force the penalty shoot-out, where the young Iker Casillas proved himself worthy of the starting goalkeeper spot, stopping two penalties. After several misses and scores from both sides, Spain came out on top with a 3-2 victory. Spain booked a quarterfinal berth with hosts Korea Republic who upset Italy in round two. Spanish fans were confident this was the year Spain was to progress beyond the quarterfinals in any major tournament since Euro 84. After a hard fought 120 minutes and two disallowed goals for the Spaniards, Spain faced another penalty shootout. Spain scored three penalties as did Korea. However, Spain's worst nightmare became reality after Joaquín had his penalty saved. Korea scored their last two penalties through Ahn Jung-Hwan and Hong Myung-Bo to knock Spain out of the 2002 World Cup. Spanish fans were shocked by another successive, and highly controversial, quarterfinal exit. José Santiago Cañizares Ruiz (born December 18, 1969 in Puertollano, Ciudad Real) is a Spanish football goalkeeper, who currently plays for Valencia CF. // Cañizares started his club career with Real Madrid in 1988, playing initially with Real Madrid B. He then played with Mérida UD and Celta... Iker Casillas Fernández (born May 20, 1981 in Móstoles, Madrid) is a Spanish football goalkeeper. ... Fernando Morientes Sánchez (born 5 April 1976 in Cilleros, Cáceres) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Valencia. ... Fernando Ruiz Hierro (born March 23, 1968 in Vélez-Málaga) is a former Spanish footballer. ... Robert David Robbie Keane (born 8 July 1980 in Tallaght, Dublin) is an Irish footballer, who currently plays as a striker for Tottenham Hotspur . ... Iker Casillas Fernández (born May 20, 1981 in Móstoles, Madrid) is a Spanish football goalkeeper. ... The 1984 European Football Championship (Euro 84) final tournament was held in France. ... Joaquín, full name Joaquín Sánchez Rodríguez, (born July 21, 1981 in Cádiz) is a Spanish football (soccer) right winger, famed for his bursts of speed, potent dribbling ability and dangerous crossing. ...

Euro 2004

At Euro 2004 in Portugal, Spain were drawn into group A with Portugal, Russia and Greece. After coming into second after Greece in qualifying, Spain looked very strong. The Spanish team were touted as heavy favorites for the 2004 crown by the European media. They possessed new and fresh players such as Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso under new coach Iñaki Sáez. Spain were also hoping that the tournaments proximity would contribute to their success. On June 12, Spain expectedly defeated Russia, 1-0, the goal scored by Juan Carlos Valerón just 36 seconds after coming on with various opportunities to increase the victory,^[2] such as a miss kick from Joseba Etxeberría against a virtually open goal,^[2] and a disallowed goal from Xabi Alonso for tapping the ball with his hand after heading it over Sergei Ovchinnikov. Four days later Spain faced Greece. Determined to win, Spain led the match until Greece scored an equalizer and the match ended 1-1. In their last game against Portugal, Spain needed to draw to qualify for the quarterfinals. However, a goal from Nuno Gomes faded Spain's hopes of advancing. The same day Greece were defeated 2-1 by Russia but moved ahead to claim second place on goal difference. As a result Spain were eliminated from Euro 2004 in the first round that consisted of the tournament's eventual finalists in Portugal and Greece. This exit was considered the most disappointing result since the 1998 World Cup. Iñaki Sáez was sacked only weeks later and replaced by Luis Aragonés. The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly called Euro 2004, was held in Portugal between June 12 and July 4, 2004. ... Fernando José Torres Sanz (born 20 March 1984 in Madrid, Spain) is a Spanish footballer, who plays for Liverpool. ... Xabier Alonso Olano, commonly known as Xabi Alonso (born 25 November 1981 in Tolosa, Basque Region, Spain) is a Basque footballer who plays for Liverpool F.C.. He wears the number 14 shirt at Liverpool and is a central midfielder, often playing as a deep-lying playmaker. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... is the 163rd day of the year (164th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Juan Carlos Valerón Santana (born 17 June 1975 in Arguineguin, Gran Canaria) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a midfielder, currently for Deportivo de La Coruña. ... Joseba Andoni Etxeberría Lizardi (born September 5, 1977 in Elgoíbar) is a Basque football (soccer) winger, who currently plays for Athletic Bilbao in Spains La Liga. ... Xabier Alonso Olano, commonly known as Xabi Alonso (born 25 November 1981 in Tolosa, Basque Region, Spain) is a Basque footballer who plays for Liverpool F.C.. He wears the number 14 shirt at Liverpool and is a central midfielder, often playing as a deep-lying playmaker. ... Sergei Ivanovich Ovchinnikov (Russian: ) (born October 11, 1970 in Moscow) is a football (soccer) goalkeeper who plays for the Russian national team and Dynamo Moscow. ... Nuno Gomes (IPA pron. ...

2006 World Cup

Under Luis Aragonés, Spain struggled throughout the 2006 World Cup qualifying stage. Spain were in group 7 with Serbia & Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Belgium, Lithuania, and San Marino. Despite mixed results including five wins and draws, Spain qualified for a playoff spot with Slovakia. Spain qualified for the final tournament after defeating Slovakia 6-2 on aggregate. Many didn't know what to expect of Spain heading into Germany; despite almost failing to qualify, the Spanish side had many talented players. Spain were drawn into Group H with Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia. Spain won their opening game over Ukraine in a comfortable 4-0 result, with two goals from David Villa and one each for Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso. The first penalty of the tournament was awarded after Vladislav Vaschuk was sent off for pulling on Torres. Spain won their second game against Tunisia 3-1. A goal in the 8th minute through Jawhar Mnari put Tunisia ahead, but Spain scored through Raúl in the 71st min and Fernando Torres in the 76th min. Fernando Torres scored from the penalty spot in injury time to get his second goal in the game. Spain beat Saudi Arabia by 1-0 in Kaiserslautern on the 23 June. However Spain fell 3-1 in the second round by the more experienced France team, despite having led the game 1-0 after a penalty kick scored by David Villa. Spanish fans once again faced a premature exit and a performance below expectations. Spain and Brazil shared the 2006 FIFA Fair Play Award. José Luis Aragonés Suárez (born July 28th, 1938, Hortaleza, Madrid), sometimes referred to as simply Luis, is a former Spanish footballer and national coach, and currently the coach of Fenerbahçe S.K.. Aragonés has spent the majority of his career as a player and coach at... (Redirected from 2006 World Cup) The final stages of Football World Cup 2006 are scheduled to take place in Germany between 9 June and 9 July. ... David Villa Sánchez (born 3 December 1981 in Langreo, Asturias, Spain), nicknamed El Guaje[1] (The Kid in Asturian) is a Spanish football player. ... Fernando José Torres Sanz (born 20 March 1984 in Madrid, Spain) is a Spanish footballer, who plays for Liverpool. ... Xabier Alonso Olano, commonly known as Xabi Alonso (born 25 November 1981 in Tolosa, Basque Region, Spain) is a Basque footballer who plays for Liverpool F.C.. He wears the number 14 shirt at Liverpool and is a central midfielder, often playing as a deep-lying playmaker. ... Vladislav Vaschuk (born on January 2, 1975 in Kiev, Ukraine ) is a professional Ukrainian football player for FC Dynamo Kyiv. ... Jawhar Mnari (Arabic: جوهر مناري) (born November 8, 1976 in Monastir, Tunisia) is a Tunisian football player. ... For other uses, see Raúl González (disambiguation). ... This article is about the city. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... David Villa Sánchez (born 3 December 1981 in Langreo, Asturias, Spain), nicknamed El Guaje[1] (The Kid in Asturian) is a Spanish football player. ...

Euro 2008 Champions

Spain qualified at the top of Qualifying Group F with 28 points out of a possible 36, and were seeded 12th for the competition proper. They were drawn in Group D, with Sweden, Russia and reigning Champions Greece. Spain won all of their group games and finished top, with David Villa scoring the only hat-trick of the competition in the 4–1 defeat of Russia. Reigning World Cup holders Italy were the opponents in the quarter final match and the game finished 0–0. There was no score in extra time, so the game was decided by penalties. Iker Casillas saved two penalties as Spain won the shoot-out 4–2. This was the first time that Spain had beaten Italy in a competitive match since 1920, and also broke Spain's record of losing penalty shoot-outs on 22 June - previous losses were against Belgium in the 1986 World Cup, England in Euro '96, and South Korea in the 2002 World Cup. Standings and results for Group F of the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying tournament. ... David Villa Sánchez (born 3 December 1981 in Langreo, Asturias, Spain), nicknamed El Guaje[1] (The Kid in Asturian) is a Spanish football player. ... In sports, a hat-trick (more often rendered in North America as hat trick, without the hyphen) is associated with achieving something in a group of three. ... The 2008 European Football Championship (EURO 2008) will take place in Austria and Switzerland. ... Iker Casillas Fernández (born May 20, 1981 in Móstoles, Madrid) is a Spanish football goalkeeper. ... is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from May 31 to June 29. ... First international Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in... -1... The 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 17th staging of the World Cup, was held in South Korea and Japan from May 31 to June 30. ...

Match between Spain and Sweden

Spain met Russia again in the semi-final, once again beating them, this time by 3-0. In the final, played in Vienna's Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Spain were up against three-times champions Germany. Spain won 1–0 with a goal scored by Fernando Torres in the 33rd minute. This was Spain's first major title in 44 years since the 1964 European Championship. Spain's total of 12 goals in the tournament made them the top scoring team and striker David Villa finished as the top scorer with four goals. Xavi was awarded the player of the tournament. Nine Spanish players were picked for the UEFA Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament, including goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas, midfielder Xavi, and strikers David Villa and Fernando Torres. For other uses, see Vienna (disambiguation). ... The Ernst Happel Stadium ( ) in Vienna was known as the Prater Stadium (Praterstadion) prior to 1992. ... Fernando José Torres Sanz (born 20 March 1984 in Madrid, Spain) is a Spanish footballer, who plays for Liverpool. ... This article is about association football players. ... David Villa Sánchez (born 3 December 1981 in Langreo, Asturias, Spain), nicknamed El Guaje[1] (The Kid in Asturian) is a Spanish football player. ... Xavier Hernández Creus (born January 25, 1980, Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain), commonly known as Xavi is a Spanish footballer who plays in central midfield for Barcelona. ... This article is about the 2008 sporting event. ... Iker Casillas Fernández (born May 20, 1981 in Móstoles, Madrid) is a Spanish football goalkeeper. ... Xavier Hernández Creus (born January 25, 1980, Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain), commonly known as Xavi is a Spanish footballer who plays in central midfield for Barcelona. ... David Villa Sánchez (born 3 December 1981 in Langreo, Asturias, Spain), nicknamed El Guaje[1] (The Kid in Asturian) is a Spanish football player. ... Fernando José Torres Sanz (born 20 March 1984 in Madrid, Spain) is a Spanish footballer, who plays for Liverpool. ...

Spain ended the tournament as the only unbeaten team to win since Germany in 1996 and the only group winner to advance beyond the quarterfinals in Euro 2008 as Portugal, Croatia, and the Netherlands were all eliminated at that stage. Also, before Spain in Euro 2008, only France in 1984 had won all their group games and later went on to win the tournament. Due to their highly impressive performance at the tournament, Spain was awarded the first place at the FIFA World rankings for the first time in their history on July 1st, 2008, just two days after being crowned European Champions for the second time. They became only the sixth team to share this privilege along with Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, and Italy and also the first team never to have won a World Cup to achieve this. This article is about world cups in general. ...

Luis Aragonés became the oldest coach to win a European Championship and the second to win one with Spain after José Villalonga won it in 1964 on home soil. He also enjoys the distinction of having led Spain to the most victories, a record previously held by Javier Clemente. Aragonés has won 38, drawn 12, and lost only 4 out of 54 matches in charge, compared to 36 victories, 20 draws, and 6 defeats by Clemente. José Luis Aragonés Suárez (born July 28th, 1938, Hortaleza, Madrid), sometimes referred to as simply Luis, is a former Spanish footballer and national coach, and currently the coach of Fenerbahçe S.K.. Aragonés has spent the majority of his career as a player and coach at... This is a disambiguation page. ... Javier Clemente Lázaro (born March 12, 1950 Barakaldo, Biscay, Spain) is a Spanish football manager who is currently manager of Serbia. ...

2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Main article: 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Turkey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Belgium 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Armenia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Estonia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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