Spain

The Spanish team has not missed out on a major tournament since Euro 1992. The team's style is reminiscent of the Columbian team - with short passes, they strive to keep the ball on the ground as much as possible. Such excellent ball skills give the team a definite advantage over other teams that tend to lose possession. But the talent and big names apart, Spain has always been the under achievers in European football. In several matches, Spain have outplayed their opponents only to lose the game at the end. An example is the 1996 Euro Cup defeat to England. Apart from toughness and innovative skills, they will need to have luck as well as imaginative game plan in order to break the jinx.

Defensive rigour and midfield armoury will be the winning formula for Spain. Coach Luis Aragonés seems to have evolved a new strategy to tackle the worrying fluctuations in form early in qualifying. Spain will look for defensive solidity to match their growing confidence going forward and imperative to the cause will be Iker Casillas, keeping goal for his country in his fourth senior international tournament.

Aragonés is likely to deploy Casillas's Real Madrid CF team-mate Sergio Ramos on the right side of defence as an attacking full-back and the Sevillano's combination of youth, pace, strength and confidence are matched by his goalscoring ability. Villarreal CF's Joan Capdevila sashays forward from left-back while Carlos Marchena partners defensive co-ordinator Carles Puyol in the centre of defence.

While Valencia CF's David Albelda holding midfield role, central players Xavi Hernández and Cesc Fabregas are free to create for a lone striker or a pairing up front. Andrés Iniesta provides the pace on the counter-attack with the versatile midfielder comfortable bursting through from central positions or from the right or the left, where he can switch with another Valencia player, David Silva. Joaquín provides Aragonés with further options out wide. Both Xavi and Iniesta are also capable of scoring goals, managing seven between them in qualification. The Spanish strategy will be tough for the rivals to crack.

In attack, David Villa will be the first choice. Whether the Valencia striker, who scored seven goals in qualification, plays on his own or in a partnership depends on whether Aragonés opts to play 4-4-2 or his preferred 4-5-1. Should the veteran coach decide on a two-man strike force, then his options to partner Villa include Fernando Torres, Raúl Tamudo, Fernando Morientes and Raúl González, the Spain talisman who fell down the pecking order during qualifying. A new approach to the game is on the cards and the prospects are exciting.

Spain Euro Squad