Spain Schedule & Results | Scouting Report | Road to Euro 2004

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Style of Play:
Unlike his predecessor José Antonio Camacho who strictly adhered to a standard 4-4-2 formation, current Spanish coach Inaki Saez is steadfast in his deployment of an attacking 4-2-3-1 lineup. Spain plays with four defenders: two who anchor the back line in the centre (Ivan Helguera and either Carlos Marchena or Cesar Martin) a wing-back on the right (Joan Capdevilla, who is normally a left-back, but will fill in for the injured Michel Salgado) who makes overlapping runs down the flanks, giving Spain yet another attacking option, and another stay-at-home defender on the left (Carles Puyol). A pair of central defensive midfielders (David Albelda and either Ruben Baraja or Xabi Alonso) plays just in front of the back four. This pair is vital to the Spanish cause, providing defensive cover when the wing-back makes his run up the field, while also supporting the attack by spreading the ball around and making penetrating runs up the middle. In front of them is a trio of attackers made up of two wingers (Vicente Rodriguez on the left, and either Joaquin Sanchez or Joseba Etxeberria on the right), centred by a deep-lying forward (Juan Carlos Valeron) who acts as the playmaker. It’s his job to create chances by distributing the ball to the lone striker (Raul Gonzalez). Should Valeron start on the bench, expect coach Saez to go with another striker (either Fernando Morientes or Fernando Torres) who will play alone up front, with Raul dropping back slightly.

Strengths:
Attacking depth – Spain is loaded with world-class strikers such as Raul, Fernando Morientes (top scorer in this year’s Champions League) and Fernando Torres. They are supported by a crop of attacking, industrious midfielders, including Vicente Rodriguez, Joaquin Sanchez and Juan Carlos Valeron. With this awe-inspiring depth of attacking talent, Spain will not be left wanting for goals.

Goalkeeping – Spain has nothing to worry about between the posts. In Real Madrid youngster Iker Casillas, Spain has one of the world’s best goalkeepers. Backup Santiago Cañizares is a veteran shot-stopper with plenty of experience and can easily take over for Casillas in case of an injury.

Defence – Often overlooked because of the depth of their attacking options, Spain’s defence is rock-solid. Veterans Carles Puyol and Ivan Helguera have a wealth of international experience. Gabri, Cesar Martin, and Carlos Marchena are tactically astute defenders who combine strength and superb man-marking skills. The loss of Michel Salgado, however, is a major setback, but Joan Capdevilla is coming off a strong season and should be an adequate replacement.

Weaknesses:
Tactical rigidity – Spanish coach Inaki Saez is unwavering in his employment of his trusted 4-2-3-1 formation, regardless of the situation. This type of tactical inflexibility will cost his side if other teams figure out how to contain the Spanish. His side won’t be able to adapt as the face of the game changes, putting them at a decided disadvantage. There’s also doubt that this formation suits the talents of Raul and playmaker Juan Carlos Valeron, who although vital for Spain, don’t seem compatible when they play together.

Inconsistency – Spain can blow hot or cold at times. On the one hand, they easily defeated Armenia and Ukraine in the qualifying round, but they were also held to a goalless draw against lowly Northern Ireland and lost 1-0 to Greece at home. Although unlucky at times, Spain has to put in a more of a consistent effort compared to what they demonstrated during the qualifiers to achieve success in Portugal.

Chronic underachievement - Spain's track record of underachievement is like a noose hanging around its necks. Every four years, they claim to be ready to take the next step and win the big one, but end up managing to disappoint by consistently crashing out in the quarter-finals. The memory of its constant failures, combined with the expectations of its demanding fans and the intrusive Spanish media, could be too much for Spain to handle.

Key Players to watch:
Raul Gonzalez – The golden boy of Spanish soccer, Raul is easily one of the best strikers in the world, and is Spain’s most potent offensive weapon. His rather slight build is deceptive, as he’s tough to push off the ball and is very resilient. A deadly finisher with predatory goal-scoring instincts, he’ll be looking to make amends after a lacklustre performance at Euro 2000.

Vicente Rodriguez – Considered by many as one of the best left-midfielders in Europe. Rodriguez possesses a sweet left foot that he uses to great effect in delivering tantalizing crosses to his forwards. One of the main reasons why his club Valencia beat out defending champions Real Madrid in 2003-04 to claim its second Spanish league title in three years and won the UEFA Cup.

Iker Casillas – One of the top goalkeepers in the world. Only 23-years-old, but he plays with all the guile and maturity of a veteran. Makes up for his lack of positional play with superb shot-stopping skills and beguiling athleticism between the posts.

Key injuries/squad omissions:
The loss of starting left-back Michel Salgado to a torn thigh muscle injury is a major setback for the Spanish, as the Real Madrid defender provided the national team with defensive solidity and attacking runs down the right flank. Coach Saez opted to replace Salgado with the less-experienced Joan Capdevilla, a talented left-back who might struggle on the right side. There are a few shocking omissions in the Spanish squad, with Valencia hit-man Mista (the highest-scoring Spaniard in La Liga this past season with 19 goals) and Arsenal striker Jose Antonio Reyes topping the list. Also overlooked were Deportivo La Coruña striker Diego Tristan and veteran forward Salva Ballesta. The recent ascent of midfielders David Albelda, Xabi Alonso and Ruben Baraja meant there were no spots left for long-time national team veterans Luis Enrique, Guti and Gaizka Mendieta. Despite coming off impressive seasons in the Spanish league, defenders Juanfran, Francisco De Pedro, and Asier Del Horno were all left off the squad. Curiously, Saez decided to select the inexperienced and unproven Raul Bravo and Juanito Gutierrez, instead.

Prognosis:
After years of making boastful pre-tournament promises, Spain has finally learnt its lesson this time around, choosing to play down its chances at Euro 2004. Exuding a quiet yet confident demeanour, Spain is one of the top teams at the tournament and should easily progress beyond the opening-round. Hosts Portugal is Spain’s only serious competition for first-place in Group A – although Greece did post a 1-0 upset over the Spanish in the qualifiers. A potential date with either France or England awaits them in the quarter-final. Spain will likely exit at the quarter-final stage (an obstacle that more times than not has managed to trip them up) if it has to play France, but a spot in the semifinals is a real possibility if they face England. However, even if they do get to the semifinals, Spain’s lack of mental strength will be its undoing and Spanish fans will be left scratching their heads like so many times before.

Current FIFA Ranking: #3

First-round matches:
June 12 vs. Russia (Faro-Loulé)
June 16 vs. Greece (Porto)
June 20 vs. Portugal (Lisbon)

Euro 2004 qualification route:
Finished 2nd in qualifying Group 6 (17 points) behind Greece (18 points); and then defeated Norway in a two-game playoff, winning 5-1 on aggregate.

Record in qualifying: 7 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss
Goals for: 21 Goals against: 5

Qualifying results:
09.07.2002 - Spain 2 Greece 0
10.12.2002 - Spain 3 Northern Ireland 0
03.29.2003 - Spain 2 Ukraine 2
04.02.2003 - Spain 3 Armenia 0
06.07.2003 – Greece 1 Spain 0
06.11.2003 – Spain 0 Northern Ireland 0
09.10.2003 – Spain 2 Ukraine 1
10.11.2003 – Spain 4 Armenia 0
11.15.2003 – Spain 2 Norway 1
11.19.2003 – Spain 3 Norway 0

Number of Previous Euro Appearances: 9
All-time record: 32 GP -- 13 W, 7 D, 12 L Goals for: 49 Goals against: 39
Biggest defeat: 0-3 vs. Russia in 1960
Biggest victory: 7-1 vs. Republic of Ireland in 1964

Euro History:
1960 – quarter-final
1964 – CHAMPIONS
1968 – quarter-final
1972 – did not qualify
1976 – quarter-final
1980 – first round
1984 – runners-up
1988 – first round
1992 – did not qualify
1996 – quarter-final
2000 - quarter-final

Other Achievements:
Olympic Gold Medal: 1992 in Barcelona
Olympic Silver Medal: 1920 in Antwerp and 2000 in Sydney
FIFA World Youth Champions: 1999
European Under-19 Champions: 2002
European Under-21 Champions: 1998

Greatest Players:
Emilio Butragueño: Emilio Butragueño earned the nickname “The Vulture” as one of the most dangerous strikers of the 1980s while playing for Real Madrid. He scored four goals in a game against Denmark during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, helping Spain reach the quarter-finals.

Andoni Zubizarreta: Andoni Zubizarreta is one of Spain's greatest goalkeepers, appearing in four World Cups (1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998). He earned 126 caps before retiring from international competition following the 1998 World Cup.