Each Wednesday from now until the tournament kicks-off, TheFA.com will be profiling all the countries partipating at Euro 2004.

Spain are in Group A with Portugal, Greece and Russia. Their manager is Inaki Saez and their last squad against Denmark featured David Beckham’s Real Madrid team-mates Iker Casillas, Michel Salgado, Guti and Raul, as well as Fernando Morientes, who will face Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final for Monaco next week.

The Facts

Spain won the 1964 European Championship on home soil, defeating The Soviet Union 2-1 in the final watched by 120,000 in Madrid.

England haven’t lost to Spain in four previous European Championship matches. The last was a 0-0 draw at Euro 96, with Stuart Pearce famously scoring in the penalty shoot-out which England won.

Sven Goran Eriksson’s first game as England manager was a 3-0 victory against Spain in February 2001.

Spain won the Olympic Games gold medal in Barcelona in 1992, their team featuring Luis Enrique and Josep Guardiola.

Goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta holds the record number of appearances for Spain, winning 126 caps.

Spain’s last appearance in the European Championship final ended in a 2-0 defeat against France in 1984.

Spain qualified for Euro 2004 via the play-offs, beating Norway over two legs after finishing second in their group to Spain.

The Opinion

Former England striker Gary Lineker was a goalscoring legend in Barcelona during the 1980s and still speaksregularly to friends, fans and players in Spain.

Lineker reveals the normal Spanish optimism leading up to a big tournament is missing this time.

"The Spanish have very little confidence in their side," says Lineker.

"Their league has plenty of world-class players in it but not many of them are Spanish.

"At the back, there is nobody of the ilk of Fernando Hierro. The midfield lacks a real creative element and up front Raul has not looked quite the player he has done in recent years, even though he is still the idol of the supporters."

In Gary Lineker’s Guide to Euro 2004, the England striker rates Spanish chances as below those of France, Italy, Portugal, England, Holland and the Czech Republic.

But he says the saving grace might be more attacking options than in past tournaments.

"Despite Raul’s problems, he is still a class act and a very good technical player. He knows to be regarded as an all-time great he will have to be the star man at a major tournament.

"Fernando Torres has scored a lot of goals for Atletico Madrid and of course Arsenal’s new boy Jose Antonio Reyes looks sure to feature; he has looked pretty electric in the Premiership with his pace and ability to spot things.

"Everyone normally tips Spain and they flop. Maybe this time, they will come through because nobody fancies them!"

The Colour

The Spanish custom of bullfighting is under threat, with the second biggest city in the country Barcelona planning to outlaw it.

Tourism is so big in Spain that coastal city Malaga boasts a bigger airport than the nation’s capital Madrid.

Spain has one of the oldest population’s in the world – there are more people over 64 than under 14.

Star striker Raul kisses his wedding ring every time he scores a goal. His wife is former Miss Madrid Mamen Sanz.

Julio Iglesias would have been a professional goalkeeper rather than a singer had he not suffered a bad car crash in 1963.

Goalkeeper Iker Casillas played for Real Madrid’s junior team at the age of seven. And he won the Champions League at 18 – the youngest ever goalkeeper to do so.

The Matches

Date

Opponents

Venue

Comp

KO

12 Jun 04

Russia

Faro-Loulé (Algarve)

ECF

1945

16 Jun 04

Greece

Porto (Bessa)

ECF

1700

20 Jun 04

Portugal

Lisbon (José Alvalade)

ECF

1945


The Squad

Player

Club

Posn

Caps

Goals

Daniel Aranzubia

Athletic Bilbao

G

0

0

Santiago Canizares

Valencia

G

40

0

Iker Casillas

Real Madrid

G

34

0

Joan Capdevila

Deportivo La Coruna

D

2

0

Cesar Martin

Deportivo La Coruna

D

9

2

Asier Del Horno

Athletic Bilbao

D

0

0

Gabri

Barcelona

D

1

0

Ivan Helguera

Real Madrid

D

39

3

Carlos Marchena

Deportivo La Coruna

D

13

0

Michel Salgado

Real Madrid

D

33

0

Carles Puyol

Barcelona

D

24

1

Raul Bravo

Real Madrid

D

9

0

Enrique Romero

Deportivo La Coruna

D

7

0

David Albelda

Valencia

D

13

0

Ruben Baraja

Valencia

D

29

6

Joseba Etxeberria

Athletic Bilbao

M

48

12

Jose Maria Gutirrez

Real Madrid

M

10

2

Joaquin Sanchez

Real Betis

M

18

2

Sergio Gonzalez

Deportivo La Coruna

M

10

0

Juan Carlos Valeron

Deportivo La Coruna

M

38

3

Vicente Rodriguez

Valencia

M

21

1

Xabi Alonso

Real Sociedad

M

6

0

Xavi

Barcelona

M

17

0

Fernando Torres

Atletico Madrid

M

3

0

Alberto Luque

Deportivo La Coruna

F

4

0

Fernando Morientes

Real Madrid

F

30

20

Raul Gonzalez

Real Madrid

F

69

37

Jose Antonio Reyes

Arsenal (Eng)

F

4

2

Salva Ballesta

Malaga

F

3

0