Coach: Iñaki Sáez
Key Players: Raúl Gonzalez, Iker Casillas, Juan C Valeron
Honours: 1964 European Championship
Qualification: 2nd, Group 6. Play-off v. Norway (5-1 agg.)

It is said before every tournament, but Spain really are international football’s underachievers.

Real Madrid striker Raúl Gonzalez scored twice in Elche as Spain clinched a top-two place in the qualifiers with victory over Ukraine.

Despite a 4-0 win over Armenia, Spain had to settle for a play-off against Norway and when the Scandanavians took the lead, things looked ominous for Spain.

Raúl and a late Henning Berg own goal gave the Spaniards a marginal win but a superb performance in Oslo – goals from Raúl, Vicente Rodríguez and Etxeberría securing a 3-0 win - made sure of qualification.

Possessing style and strength in players such as Raul Gonzalez, Ruben Baraja and Joaquin Sanchez, they stand as good a chance as anyone.

European Championship Record

Year

Year

1960: Did not qualify

1984: Runners-Up

1964: Winners

1988: Did not qualify

1968: Did not qualify

1992: Did not qualify

1972: Did not qualify

1996: Quarter-FInals

1976: Did not qualify

2000: Quarter-Finals

1980: Group Stage

2004: Qualified


The Matches

Date

Opponents

Venue

Comp

KO

12 Jun 04

Russia

Faro-Loulé (Algarve)

ECF

1-0

16 Jun 04

Greece

Porto (Bessa)

ECF

1-1

20 Jun 04

Portugal

Lisbon (José Alvalade)

ECF

0-1

The Squad

1 Santiago CAÑIZARES
2 Joan CAPDEVILA
3 Carlos MARCHENA
4 David ALBELDA
5 Carles PUYOL
6 Iván HELGUERA
7 RAÚL González
8 Rubén BARAJA
9 Fernando TORRES
10 Fernando MORIENTES
11 Albert LUQUE
12 García GABRI
13 Daniel ARANZUBIA
14 VICENTE Rodríguez
15 RAÚL BRAVO
16 XABI ALONSO
17 Joseba ETXEBERRIA
18 CÉSAR Martín
19 SÁNCHEZ Joaquín
20 Hernández XAVI
21 Juan Carlos VALERÓN
22 Gutiérrez JUANITO
23 Iker CASILLAS