Marcos Senna of Villarreal, left, could be the key to Spain's chances for success at Euro 2008. (Bagu Blanco/Getty Images)

If it's the summer, then it must be time for Spain to fail to live up to expectations and prematurely crash out of an international soccer tournament.

Spain's record of underachievement is legendary: they have qualified for 12 World Cups but have managed to advance beyond the quarter-finals only once, in 1950. In fact, aside from winning the European Championship in 1964 on home soil, Spain has chronically disappointed at the international level.

It's a puzzling track record for a country that boasts one of the best professional leagues in the world and the greatest club in all of soccer, Real Madrid, which has won the Champions League/European Cup nine times.

Yet every two years, the Spanish press whips the country into a froth over Spain's chances at the World Cup or European Championship, only to be disappointed when their heroes return home armed with nothing but excuses.

Euro 2008 could be different and serve as the platform where the Spaniards finally step forward and deliver.

'It's time for a change,' Aragones says of fan favourite Raul

Yeah, we know. You've heard this one before. But things really are different this time.

Real Madrid forward Raul was not selected to play for Spain at Euro 2008, despite being the country's all-time leading scorer. (Philippe Desmazes/Getty Images)

For one, manager Luis Aragones did not name Raul to the Spanish roster, even though the Real Madrid striker is coming off his best campaign in years. The 30-year-old bagged a team-leading 18 goals and helped los blancos win a second consecutive La Liga title this season.

Aragones's bold decision to exclude Raul took guts because the striker is beloved by Spanish fans. The statistics certainly give an indication as to why: Raul has scored more than 200 goals in close to 500 appearances for Real Madrid, and he is the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Spanish national team, with 44 goals in 102 games since 1996.

But for all of his success at club level, Raul has never been able to help Spain come even close to winning a major international tournament. Indeed, Spain has failed to reach the semifinals of five competitions (World Cups in 1998, 2002 and 2006; and European Championships in 2000 and 2004) with Raul leading the way.

Aragones made the mistake of bringing Raul to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, despite the fact the Real Madrid marksman was coming off an injury-plagued season. Again, he failed to live up to expectations, and Spain meekly bowed out in the second round.

Aragones has clearly learned his lesson.

"What have we won with Raul? Nothing," Aragones recently said. "He's a great player, but it's time for a change."

Senna and new attitude could lead Spain to victory

Another reason for optimism for Spanish fans is the emergence of Marcos Senna.

The Brazil-born Senna was a bit-part player on Spain's 2006 World Cup team, but since then, the Villarreal star has developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.

Spain has always boasted creative, playmaking midfielders, but what it has historically lacked is a midfield enforcer — a physical and tough battler who provides girt and steel to counterbalance the team's more artistic players.

Spain now has that in Senna.

There's also a change in attitude in the Spanish camp.

Spain's track record of underachievement has hung like a noose around its neck at past tournaments. The memory of its consistent failures served as a constant reminder of the country's ineptitude, and that led to a toxic locker room, with players believing they were destined to fail before they even stepped onto the field.

Now, Aragones has his players believing in themselves, and he's asked them to draw inspiration from the Spanish team that won the 1964 European Championship.

"That team had some great players, as we do now, but the important thing is to have the same spirit and that dash of good fortune that everyone needs in life," Aragones told Spanish sports daily Marca this past week.

"We need to work as hard as them and have the strength and conviction that we can be champions. In [soccer], you have to step onto the pitch convinced that you are going to win even though anything can happen.

"Today, there is nothing to … [differentiate] the big national sides. … That's why having a winning mentality is so important."