Spain are arguably the envy of many footballing nations at this very moment, whether it be their current status as European champions, or the fact La Roja possess a world-class roster heavily favoured to attain the country’s first-ever World Cup in South Africa next year.

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On current form, Vicente Del Bosque’s men are, without doubt, the supreme candidates to hold aloft football’s most treasured prize come 2010, even if they are yet to stamp their true authority on the world stage.

The Spanish are one of the few top footballing nations yet to feel the sensation of holding aloft a World Cup trophy. A fourth-place finish during the 1950 tournament in Brazil is still the best result they have been able to muster.

That achievement is no doubt expected to improve dramatically in South Africa next year, as Spain currently ride a wave of irresistible form on the pitch.

After winning the Euro 2008 tournament, La Furia Roja cemented their status as World Cup favourites during the qualifying stages, winning all their matches to seal a finals berth in emphatic fashion.

No doubt Spain’s sudden springboard to success surrounds the clinical chemistry of a playing roster that has the majority of its footballers playing in La Liga.

Indeed, their likely starting XI - which consists of Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Carlos Puyol, Raul Albiol, Joan Capdevilla, Cesc Fabregas, Xabi Alonso, Andres Iniesta, Xavi, David Villa and Fernando Torres - has only two footballers playing in an overseas league.

With so many in-form players at Spain’s disposal, it is difficult to comprehend which figure will play the key role in masterminding a maiden World Cup victory next year.

For all their apparent class, it is difficult to go past Barcelona midfielder Xavi as the player most likely to steer Spain to glory. He is no stranger to producing his best form when it counts, setting-up Torres in last year's Euro final against Germany to seal a 1-0 victory.

Xavi also produced the cross which saw Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi score the decisive goal against Manchester United to land Pep Guardiola’s men their third Champions League crown last season.

The 29-year-old’s splendid mixture of precision passing, strong shooting and incredible vision off the ball has seen Xavi develop into one of the world’s most influential footballers, let alone for a dominant Barcelona and Spain unit.

Off the field, Spain are served well by experienced manager Vicente del Bosque, who oversaw Real Madrid’s ‘Era Galactica’, which saw the club win a Champions League title in 2000, La Liga in 2001 and 2003 and the Intercontinental Cup in 2002.

His success so far at international level has convinced the Royal Spanish Football Federation to extend Del Bosque’s contract until the 2012 Euro championships.

For all of Spain’s recent domination on the international stage, however, one result in the semi-finals of this year's Confederations Cup spells danger for them.

Considered hot favourites for the title, Spain hit a brick wall against the United States, losing 2-0 to partially revive painful memories of past undera-chievements on the world stage.

Whilst many thought it was the defeat Spain had to have on the eve of the 2010 World Cup finals, I believe it could have been a sign of complacency that could come back to haunt their bid for an overdue World Cup victory.

Despite the warning shot fired at the Confederations Cup, most signs are pointing to a Spanish coronation next summer.

The football Spain are playing at the moment leaves little to doubt why they are favourites to feature in all seven matches on the African continent and emerge on top.

If Spain do, however, fail to progress to at least the semi-finals, I hate to think of the heat that will be directed at them if the Spanish nation is forced to suffer more World Cup agony.