SPAIN’S team may not be a patch on the one that dominated world football 15 years ago – which had superstars coming out of its ears.
Yet Luis de la Fuente’s side still topped a qualifying group full of banana skins.
The only slip-up came at Hampden Park when Scott McTominay’s double earned Scotland a famous 2-0 win – after which crybaby Rodri branded the Tartan Army’s style “a bit rubbish”.
Spain triumphed in all their other games, seeing off Erling Haaland’s Norway and winning 7-1 away to Georgia, who will also compete in Germany thanks to the play-offs.
Chelsea fans may be surprised to see Alvaro Morata is captain, given he was hardly an inspiration at Stamford Bridge.
In fact La Roja’s squad is full of Premier League players from the past, present and, quite possibly, future.
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Manchester City marathon man Rodri is the man who orchestrates Spain’s gameplan.
Newcastle fans are still bemused by the reversal of fortune for their former flop Joselu – now starring for Real Madrid – while Mikel Merino also once wore black and white.
Merino’s Real Sociedad team-mate Martin Zubimendi is a long-time target for Arsenal, and Spurs are keen on Nico Williams.
Dani Olmo – whose hat-trick in August’s German Super Cup denied Harry Kane yet another trophy – has a £52million release clause at RB Leipzig which kicks in this summer.
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Manager: Luis de la Fuente
Surprise choice as coach but won the Under-21 Euros in 2019 and an Olympic silver medal a year later.
Key man: Rodri
Rodri is arguably the greatest holding midfielder the Premier League has ever seen.
But will Manchester City’s Mr Invincible have enough left in the tank after complaints of tiredness this season?
Likely line-up
De la Fuente makes full use of Spain’s reputation for technical brilliance by packing out his midfield.
Rodri and Fabian Ruiz provide a solid base, allowing Gavi licence to roam.
Morata is often deployed as a target man with plenty of pace on the flanks provided by the likes of Ferran Torres and Williams.
There is plenty of experience at full-back thanks to Jose Gaya and Dani Carvajal.
How they attack
Under Luis de la Fuente, Spain will be a very different side to what we have seen in recent years.
Gone is the 4-3-3 to be replaced by a more structured 4-2-3-1 system and this forms the basis of how they will attack in this tournament.
When building out from deeper positions we will see Spain push their full-backs slightly higher – to the same line as the two deeper central midfielders.
The goalkeeper effectively forms a back three with the two central defenders.
This shape, along with the two central midfielders dropping back, will help Spain to effectively move the ball out from the back.
When they are further up the pitch, the wide attackers and central attacking midfielder are very fluid, moving in and out of position in order to create space that can be exploited.
With the two deepest midfielders holding their shape at the base of the attack, Spain attack with four players.
The attacking midfielder and two wingers move forward aggressively to support the striker.
They will then be further supported by the two full-backs moving into advanced positions.
Spain will be a real threat to opposition teams with their willingness to push players forward.
How they defend
The move away from their traditional 4-3-3 shape into a 4-2-3-1 also makes Spain more solid defensively.
The presence of two deep midfielders offers security and allows them to push further forward and to press in a higher block.
Spain will consistently be brave in their defensive game plan.
They will be willing to push players high and to play man-on-man against the opposition.
In doing so they will effectively force the opposition either into making a mistake and a loose pass or playing longer and giving the ball away.
The likes of Williams and Lamine Yamal provide pace and direct running from the wide areas and support Morata, who is defensively intelligent player.
Spain work together to limit opportunities for the opposition to play forward.
Prediction
Should Spain top their group, their last-16 opponents will be one of the best third-placed teams.
They would then likely have to go through Germany in the quarter-finals and Portugal or the Netherlands in the semis.
By finishing second, they would probably face Hungary or Switzerland for the right to set up a potential last-eight collision with England.
France or Belgium would then be realistic semi-final opponents meaning Spain are going to have it tough either way – as he been reflected in their odds.
Latest odds
The three-time winners are fifth favourites to win the competition behind England, France, Germany and Portugal.
They are 8/1 with William Hill to add a fourth crown.
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Glam fans and Wags
Real Madrid stalwart Carvajal has been married to partner Daphne since 2022 – team-mate Joselu is his brother-in-law.
The two tied the knot at a rustic former Franciscan convent in Ayllon, Segovia, in front of just 250 close friends and family members.
Torres has split from former Spain boss Luis Enrique’s daughter Sira.
She is a professional show-jumper and a member of the swanky Barcelona Royal Polo Club.
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Captain Morata is dating stunning Italian model and fashion designer Alice Campello.
She revealed she spent eight months ignoring his messages before they got together.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
