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Spain head to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa as one of the favourites to lift the trophy on the back of their Euro 2008 success but that tag does not sit well with their players or manager.

In the past Spain have often been the dark horses to win tournaments on the back of a strong qualifying campaign and up until recently had disappointed with their only major trophy being a European championship win back in 1964.

However, the Euro 2008 win in Austria and Switzerland has raised the expectation bar and a perfect 10 wins in World Cup qualifying along with a 35-match unbeaten run - equaling the record of Brazil - has persuaded bookmakers to put Spain down as one of the major contenders.

“We would like not to have this role of favourites but we have it and have to accept it,” Liverpool forward Fernando Torres said in sports daily AS.

“In Spain we think we think we are at the centre of the world and always consider ourselves the favourites.

“I live in England at the moment and the favourites are England and Spain. In France they are France and Spain, in Brazil they are Brazil and Spain. We don’t like it but I guess it is inevitable.”

Spain have one of the most comprehensive squads in world football and boast world class stars all over the pitch such as Torres, Valencia goal machine David Villa, Arsenal starlet Cesc Fabregas and Barcelona’s creative midfield pair Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez.

The confidence Spain seem to have taken from the Euro success is notable but no-one knows whether the pressure of being favourites will weigh heavy on their shoulders.

Spain have never won the World Cup - with a fourth place finish their best in 1950 - but this is seen as their big chance to lift football’s ultimate prize and the nation expects.

“Everybody in Spain thinks that anything except winning the World Cup is a failure,” admitted national coach Vicente del Bosque.

“I think that’s nonsense and an extremism but, in the times we live in, it seems that extremism sells.

“And even though we don’t agree, we can hardly say it doesn’t make sense that we’re singled out, given we’re European champions and have won so many games.”

Spain have been top of the world rankings for the first time in their history and have been handed a kind group with Switzerland, Honduras and Chile but the last 16 knockout stage could see them come up against Ivory Coast, Portugal or five-time champions Brazil.

“On paper we’re favourites to go through, and I think that we have to try and finish top of the group,” said captain Iker Casillas.

“The draw for the knockout rounds is tough, but if you want to reach the World Cup final then you have to go out and beat the best.”

On paper Spain certainly look one of the strongest sides in the tournament, have a proven manager in del Bosque and real self-belief from the Euro 2008 triumph.

Spain were fancied to do well in the European championships but played without much pressure, however, at the 2010 World Cup finals they begin as firm favourites and hope to show they can handle it. – AFP

BY SPORTS NETWORK

Spain has regained the top spot in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Rankings, which were released on Friday for the month of November.

Brazil was on top of the table since July, but they slipped to second this past month, with the Netherlands remaining in third and Italy in fourth.

Portugal (5th, up 5) and France (7th, up 2) both moved up the rankings thanks to wins in their respective UEFA qualification playoff matches, while qualified teams like Argentina (8th, down 2), and England (9th, down 2) both dropped slightly.

Cameroon (11th, up 3), Greece (12th, up 4) and Uruguay (19th, up 6) moved up, while only two teams inside the top 20, Croatia (10th, down 2) and Russia (13th, down 1), will not be heading to South Africa next summer.

Teams outside the top 20 who made significant improvement include Nigeria (22nd, up 10), Slovenia (33rd, up 16) and Ecuador (35th, up 9), while the Czech Republic (23rd, down 8), Paraguay (30th, down 9), Northern Ireland (39th, down 9), and Colombia (40th, down 10) each slipped down the table.

The final FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Rankings for 2009 will be released on Wednesday, December 16

Spain have a very good chance of winning their first World Cup in South Africa next year but it might just be England’s turn and Cote d’Ivoire are potential dark horses, midfielder Xavi said.

European champions Spain breezed through qualifying for the 2010 finals with eight wins out of eight and have lost only once in 40 matches since December 2006.

That sole loss was a 2-0 defeat by the US at the Confederations Cup in June.

”We have a superb generation of players, we have already qualified for South Africa and also have the experience of playing there,” Xavi, voted player of the tournament at Euro 2008, said in an interview with Reuters.

”We have become a winning team that is very competitive at the world level and we have a great chance and that fills us with excitement.”

Under their Italian coach Fabio Capello, England appeared to have found a new swagger and a solid foundation for possible success, Xavi said, adding that Brazil, Italy and Germany would also be among Spain’s main rivals.

He praised the ”individual quality” of England players like Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, who he said was on particularly good form, and said a defence including captain John Terry and Rio Ferdinand would be hard to penetrate.

”England were the big absence from Euro 2008 and I expect they are itching to show they can win the World Cup,” said the 29-year-old Barcelona player.

”And we might see a surprise this time from an African country like Cote d’Ivoire,” he added. ”They look very strong to me right now.”

As recently as two years ago, a Spanish Team of the Decade would have been filled with players of exceptional talent, but ultimately ones who never truly lived up to their potential on the international stage. Throughout their memorable history, the Spanish national squad had infamously been known as the best national squad that never won a major trophy — habitually winning their group stage matches before falling in the quarter-finals of World Cup after World Cup.

But today, when we speak of La Furia Roja, we think of a side that not only wins, but also wins with style — a side that reigns atop the world (at least according to FIFA rankings) as the best national team. After a 40-year trophy drought, the Spanish national side broke their reputation for underachieving and forged through the knockout stages of the 2008 European Championships to claim the title. Led by then-coach Luis Aragones, the win served as a catharsis for a national squad teeming with some of the elite players of the world — many of whom are also some of the youngest players on the international stage.

Now, under new coach Vicente Del Bosque, the Spanish squad only looks as if it is getting stronger, beating some of the best sides in European football in international friendlies and World Cup qualifying matches.

This summer, in a tune-up for next summer’s 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Spain looked unstoppable, dominating possession throughout matches and knocking the ball around the pitch with crisp passing and movement. But despite their superb style of play, La Roja faltered against a surprisingly resilient and underrated United States squad in the Confederations Cup semi-finals. The loss, however, was mostly dismissed as an aberration, as injuries and chances that are normally slotted home caught up with the team — a touch of humility after a year of seemingly invincible play.

So as we approach World Cup 2010 with the Spanish Team of the Decade in mind, we do so knowing full well that we may soon be calling today’s Spain squad the Spanish Team of the Ages.

Iker Casillas (2000 - )

Highly touted as the best goalkeeper in the world, 'Saint Iker' now wears the captain’s armband for La Roja. Leading his team to European Championship success in 2008, Casillas was instrumental in helping Spain progress through the quarter-final stage, saving two critical penalties in a shootout with Italy. In October 2008, Casillas and deputy stopper Pepe Reina broke the national record for the most minutes without conceding a goal. The pair went unbeaten for 710 minutes, longer than the legendary Andoni Zubizarreta and Paco Buyo.

Michel Salgado (1998 - 2006)

Now considered a shadow of his former self, Michel Salgado was, for many years, one of the best right-backs in the world. Born in Galicia and frequently representing the autonomous Galician team, Salgado won the first of his 53 caps for Spain in 1998, in an infamous 3-2 Euro 2000 qualifying loss in Cyprus. He continued to serve his country as part of his nation's squads at Euro 2000 and the 2006 World Cup, starting in the former and serving as a backup to Real Madrid team-mate Sergio Ramos in the latter.

Unfortunately, Michel missed out on the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004, unable to compete due to last minute injuries.

Sergio Ramos (2005 - )

Sergio Ramos broke into Spain’s senior national side at only 18-years-old, making him the youngest player to play for the national team in the last 55 years until the record was again broken by Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas. After an impressive debut, the dynamic young Ramos was awarded a place in the team mainly due to the absence of club team-mate Michel Salgado. He was later announced as part of the Spain World Cup squad in 2006, and eventually replaced Salgado as Spain's first-choice right-back. His marauding runs down the right flank and penchant for attack make him one of the best right-backs in the world, but he is also a versatile defender, able to slot into central defence as well.

Carles Puyol (2000 - )

A rock in the Spanish back line, Puyol won his first international cap in 2000 against the Netherlands, and has remained a regular fixture in defence ever since. He has since represented his country at the 2000 Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2004, 2006 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2008. In winning the 2008 European Championships, Puyol started throughout the vast majority of the competition, snuffing out opposing chances; the Spanish defence only conceded two goals in five games as La Roja progressed to an eventual final win against Germany. Serving as vice captain of the Spanish national team, Puyol is an integral figure in defence.

Xavi Hernandez (2000 - )

Xavi made his senior debut in the same match as Barcelona team-mate Carles Puyol and has since been a regular fixture in the Spanish squad. As the architect of the Spanish attack, he is responsible for much of the creation in midfield and is constantly looking to slot passes through for the strikers. During Euro 2008, Xavi played a vital role in Spain's successful campaign. Partnering fellow Barca team-mate Andres Iniesta in the midfield, he was the fulcrum between the defence and the forward line, regularly supplying crucial assists. In the final against Germany, he slid a well-timed pass to Fernando Torres, who converted the winning goal. He is now a crucial member of the Spanish national squad and his importance to the team was summed up as he was selected as the Player of the Tournament at Euro 2008.

Xabi Alonso (2003 - )

While he is well known for his performances at Liverpool, Xabi Alonso was actually called up to the Spanish national squad for his exceptional play with Real Sociedad in 2003. Alonso was praised for his role in the Basque outfit’s success, receiving the Best Spanish Player award by Spanish sports magazine Don Balon. His performances earned him national repute as Inaki Saez, coach of the Spanish national team at the time, called him up to La Seleccion. After Alonso’s international debut, Saez praised the Basque midfielder, saying, “He has a fantastic range of accurate passing and sees football with an extraordinary clarity.” Alonso is now a mainstay in central midfield, specialising in long switches of play through his pinpoint accurate passing and long rifling shots that frequently test opposing keepers.

Marcos Senna (2006 - )

Born in Brazil, Marcos Senna was granted Spanish citizenship in early 2006, thus becoming part of the Spanish squad for the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008. His performances in Spain’s title winning European Championship campaign earned him the plaudits of some pundits and journalists, who considered Senna as their player of the tournament. A solid presence on the pitch, Senna is the defensive bulldog in the Spanish midfield, pressed with the task of recovering possession and providing link-up play between the back line and the attacking midfield. The Brazilian-born Spaniard also holds a thundering shot in his boots and does not hesitate in trying his hand at a long-range effort from time to time.

Andres Iniesta (2006 - )

Iniesta won his first cap for Spain when he was brought on at half-time in a friendly against Russia and was subsequently called up to the Spanish national squad for the 2006 World Cup. Known for his mazy runs through midfield, Iniesta became a pivotal player in the Spanish midfield and along the left flank, becoming instrumental in helping Spain qualify for Euro 2008. Still very new to La Roja, Iniesta is fast becoming a match-altering player for Spain, having developed a seamless partnership with Barcelona team-mate Xavi Hernandez that will benefit both club and country for years to come (provided he can successfully ward off injury).

Fernando Torres (2003 - )

Torres made his debut for the senior Spanish national team in 2003, playing in a friendly against Portugal, and scored his first goal against Italy in 2004. Serving his country from a very young age, El Nino was selected for Euro 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup (in which he scored three goals, tying David Villa for the top scorer in the Spanish squad for the tournament). Torres’ biggest goal to date with La Roja has certainly been his strike in the Euro 2008 final against Germany — a match Spain won 1-0 to take the championship.

Torres made his 60th appearance for Spain in a World Cup qualifying match against Turkey earlier this year, becoming the youngest player to reach this milestone. His contributions to the Spanish squad continue to be remarkable - in this summer’s Confederations Cup, Torres scored the fastest hat-trick ever by a Spanish player taking just 17 minutes to do so.

Raul (1996 - )

Known simply as Raul, he is likely Spain’s most prolific player in history and with 44 international goals is La Roja’s leading scorer. Earning his first senior cap in 1996, Raul has participated in three World Cups from 1998 to 2006, along with Euro 2000 and Euro 2004, scoring at least one goal in each of the three World Cup competitions and leading as captain of the team throughout. But following a shock 3-2 defeat against Northern Ireland, Luis Aragones controversially dropped Raul from the national squad, preferring David Villa and Fernando Torres instead. Raul is still available for a call up, since he has yet to formally announce his international retirement, and Vicente Del Bosque has said there is still a chance the player could again be called into the national side. But time is not on the aging legend’s side.

David Villa (2005 - )

Making his international debut in 2005, David Villa scored his first goal for La Seleccion in a World Cup qualifying match later in the year. The striker has not looked back since, scoring goals at will for La Roja, becoming so lethal in front of the net that ‘El Guaje’ managed to oust legend Raul from the Spanish national squad. Assuming the former captain’s No. 7 shirt, Villa has delivered goals by the handful for La Roja — some of them crucial in helping Spain advance through the 2006 World Cup group stages and the 2008 European Championships. Villa’s eye for goal has only gotten more keen. This past year, a consistent goal scoring rate saw Villa break the Spanish record of ten goals in one year, previously held by Raul since 1999, by scoring 12 goals. The next target in El Guaje’s sights is Raul’s record 44 international goals. Villa has 25 at the moment, but with only 49 appearances with La Roja, the mark is certainly attainable.

Casillas

Salgado – Sergio Ramos - Puyol

Xavi – Xabi Alonso — Marcos Senna – Iniesta

Torres - Raul - Villa

Do you agree with those who made it into the Spanish Team of the Decade 2000-2010? What would be your ideal XI? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think...