World Cup Preview -- Spain, ready to conquer?
Spanish football brings to mind Barcelona and Real Madrid, two teams that continually overachieve. What about the Spanish national team?
Spanish football brings to mind Barcelona and Real Madrid, two teams that play exceptionally well and together,, despite being enemies have a trophy cabinet that any team in any code of sport would be proud of.
But what about the Spanish national team?
Spain is the home of attractive, fluent soccer that brings the fan to their feet in anticipation and bliss, as there is no shortage of action. The national team always seems to be there at the big tournaments but may be cursed as it never finds its feet when they need to be found.
Exceptional talent always has been featured in the Spanish team but the only success thus far remains the 1964 European Nations Cup. Is this going to be their year?
As the greatest footballing nation never to win the World Cup, it seems a matter of time before Spain conquers the world.
They have the talent and the infrastructure to become the world's best. If the nation's club teams are a testament to trophies and success on European and World fronts, Spain is ready to take this year's tournament by storm.
If we take the teams that were in the 2001/02 Champions League, we see three of the last eight elite teams hailed from Spain. Deportivo la Coruna, Real Madrid and Barcelona herald some exceptional players, from which much of the World Cup squad will be taken. Players such as Raul Gonzales, Fernando Hierro, Fernando Morientes, Luis Enrique, Juan Carlos Valeron and Diego Tristan are just some that will grace the parks in Japan and Korea.
The Red and Blue finished at the top of their UEFA qualifying group, going undefeated, and now will face Slovenia, South Africa and Paraguay in their opening group in the World Cup.
With a blend of youth and experience, the Spanish "bull fighters" hope to crush anything that stands in their way and put the misery of France '98 behind them, when they were eliminated in the first round.
Now is the time that coach Jose Antonio Camacho and his team can stand up and quash all speculation that the Spanish will once again underachieve.
But what about the Spanish national team?
Spain is the home of attractive, fluent soccer that brings the fan to their feet in anticipation and bliss, as there is no shortage of action. The national team always seems to be there at the big tournaments but may be cursed as it never finds its feet when they need to be found.
Exceptional talent always has been featured in the Spanish team but the only success thus far remains the 1964 European Nations Cup. Is this going to be their year?
As the greatest footballing nation never to win the World Cup, it seems a matter of time before Spain conquers the world.
They have the talent and the infrastructure to become the world's best. If the nation's club teams are a testament to trophies and success on European and World fronts, Spain is ready to take this year's tournament by storm.
If we take the teams that were in the 2001/02 Champions League, we see three of the last eight elite teams hailed from Spain. Deportivo la Coruna, Real Madrid and Barcelona herald some exceptional players, from which much of the World Cup squad will be taken. Players such as Raul Gonzales, Fernando Hierro, Fernando Morientes, Luis Enrique, Juan Carlos Valeron and Diego Tristan are just some that will grace the parks in Japan and Korea.
The Red and Blue finished at the top of their UEFA qualifying group, going undefeated, and now will face Slovenia, South Africa and Paraguay in their opening group in the World Cup.
With a blend of youth and experience, the Spanish "bull fighters" hope to crush anything that stands in their way and put the misery of France '98 behind them, when they were eliminated in the first round.
Now is the time that coach Jose Antonio Camacho and his team can stand up and quash all speculation that the Spanish will once again underachieve.
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