It's about time, as they say, for Spain. Always one of the dark horses, they invariably have the squad and talent to do it but why do they never succeed?

Spain are an enigma at international level. Their qualification credentials are faultless and the squad rolls into another major tourney with quiet self-confidence.

There are rarely public squabbles so often seen in the camps of the Dutch and French groups and the Spanish media certainly do not build them up to be world beaters who have a right to win a trophy.

'Many Spanish sides insist on using home-grown talent and rightfully so'


Spanish football has been at the forefront of football for many years. Real Madrid and Barcelona constantly dominate Europe with their style and panache, Real Madrid are the most successful team in European history.

La Liga is arguably the most exciting league in the world to watch and many Spanish sides insist on using home-grown talent and rightfully so. Could it be the general psyche of the Spanish people? Could it be that the whole of the country does not get right behind the national side as Spain is broken into many parts?

After a disappointing 2006 World Cup, Spain qualified for this year's European Championships despite early defeats to Sweden and Northern Ireland.

Living in Spain I have friends who are Barcelona and Valencia supporters and from a British point of view their take on the national side is bizarre. It's all about expectation and assumption. Spain are expected to qualify for all major tournaments, therefore media and fan attention is limited and excitement is non-existent.

Even the group stages of major tournaments are expected to be navigated with consummate ease. It's not arrogance and it is similar in Italy and France, yet once Spain have reached the latter stages, a bizarre and unsure sense of abject failure encompasses the nation.

This, in turn, festers into the psyche of the players on the field. I believe that it is all in the mind for the Spaniards. If this strange and slightly myopic view of the national players and fans and media is to be exorcised then it may take a new generation of different thinkers in Spanish society to bring it to the fore.

Thankfully (for Spain) progress is happening.

Manager Luis Aragones has decided not to take Real Madrid icon Raul with the squad. Great player though he is, he is past breaking pastures new at international level and Spain have an abundance of talented young strikers to choose from.

With only 16 teams competing there are no easy groups in this championship.

The World Cup can throw up one, maybe two fairly easy groups but this is the cream of European football. Spain and Russia will qualify from Group D as Greece won't be able to emulate their feat of four years ago and Sweden's squad is at its last major tournament.

After that, who knows? If they finish top of the group they will undoubtedly face either France or Italy. This may be a good thing. Italy would be the more favourable side for the Spaniards to meet.

The players throughout the squad are world-class and Aragones must find a way to shore up a lightweight but severely talented midfield.

With Cesc Fabregas, Xabi Alonso, Andres Iniesta and Xavi providing the guile, skill, and artistry, either David Albelda or Marcos Senna can sting the opposition and patrol the engine room.

With Carlos Puyol and Sergio Ramos at the back and Iker Casillas in goal the defence is in good hands. Fernando Torres and David Villa have the opportunity to show the world what they can do and their supply should be of a high standard.

Everything is in the mix for Spain and if the nation and media coax and prod them in the right direction with encouragement rather than disdain at an average win, for example, then the players should and could respond in such a way that the trophy could end up Spanish hands.

This is Spain's year.