Looking through Spain’s first-team on paper, one is struck by the abundance of quality throughout the team.

Luis Aragones has one of the most talented squads in the history of the Spanish national team that arguably contains the best players of any squad competing in Euro 2008.

Iker Casillas is in the form of his life. One of the key reasons for Real Madrid’s La Liga title, the Spanish custodian has the opportunity to prove that he is a better goalkeeper than Gianluigi Buffon and Petr Cech at Euro 2008. This mini-battle between the world’s three best keepers will be an entertaining sideshow.

'Although he may be an icon for Real Madrid, Raul is synonymous with recent Spanish failure'


The Spanish defence features two of the best defenders in the world. Sergio Ramos is a right-back or centre-back of the highest class – equally adept in both penalty boxes. The recent price tag of £50m for the Real Madrid defender is probably commensurate with the talent Ramos exudes. Similarly Carlos Puyol, a mainstay of the Spanish national team, can be expected to lead from the back and the Barcelona defender should once again prove that his haircut is not a true reflection of his defensive talents.

Spain have a number of lightweight midfielders and now have an enforcer in the middle of the park to protect them. Brazilian-born Marcos Senna can be a Claude Makalele-type player for Aragones. Senna has been a revelation for Villarreal in recent seasons and even scored a goal from his own half against Real Betis a few weeks ago.

If Senna can do the dirty work in midfield, there is an abundance of talent to take advantage. Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas provide a passing ability and creative touch in the middle of the park that no team can match – not even the French or Italians. Iniesta was probably Barcelona’s best player this season and Fabregas lit up the Premier League.

And the quality players just keep on coming. Up front, Spain can call upon Fernando Torres and David Villa. “El Nino” proved at Anfield this season that he can be a prolific goal-scorer and he has almost everything required – directness, power, pace and a clinical eye for goal. Torres could well end up the top scorer of the tournament.

Backed up by Villa, likely to be on his way from Valencia, this partnership will cause problems for whoever they face in the latter rounds. And the Valencia stiker can also score a hatful of goals – his recent strike in the friendly win over Italy was one of the goals of the season.

And if Spain qualify from the group stages, their opponents Greece, Russia and Sweden contain quality players but none of them are likely to go on and win the tournament.

The real issue for the Spaniards will come at the quarter-final stage. This is not the first piece written before a major tournament claiming Spain will shine on the big stage. In fact, “La Roja” almost always flatter to deceive and they will face a team from the "Group of Death" in the quarter-finals, likely to be France or Italy.

At the last World Cup they won all their group games before being beaten by France in the second round and at Euro 2004 they didn’t even qualify from the group stages. Historically they only ever won one major tournament, the Euro in 1964, which must rankle Spaniards who have produced some of the finest exponents of the beautiful game.

But the current side is different, there are some fine squad players, including Xabi Alonso and Dani Guiza, but there is no Raul in the squad. Although he may be an icon for Real Madrid, Raul is synonymous with recent Spanish failure and Aragones may have made the right decision.

It is easy to scoff and argue that Spain always flatter to deceive. Much like England, they have a patchy record at international level. But, they have a fearsome line-up at Euro 2008, and they have gone 14 matches unbeaten (including victories over France and Italy. This could be Spain’s tournament.