The Spain national football team ( spanish : Selección Española de Fútbol ) represents Spain in international men ‘s football competitions since 1920. It is governed by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. Spain are one of the eight national teams to have been crowned global champions, having participated in a total of 15 of 21 FIFA World Cups and qualifying systematically since 1978. Spain besides won three continental titles, having appeared at 11 of 15 UEFA european Championships. Spain presently competes in Division A at the UEFA Nations League alongside the other top teams of Europe. Their best consequence was in the 2020–21 season where they reached the final examination, losing to France.
Reading: Spain national football team
Spain is the only national team with three consecutive major titles, becoming the first european team to win a FIFA World Cup outside of Europe in 2010 a well as the alone one to win back-to-back european Championships in 2008 and 2012. [ 6 ] From 2008 to 2013, Spain won the FIFA Team of the year, the second-most of any nation, behind lone Brazil. [ 7 ] From the originate of 2007 to the end of 2009 the spanish national football team achieved 35 straight matches undefeated, a feat which they shared with Brazil, and what was a world record at the time. Their achievements have led many experts and commentators to consider the 2008–2012 spanish team one of the best always international sides in world football. [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 12 ]
history [edit ]
Spain national football team in the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp Spain has been a member of FIFA since FIFA ‘s foundation garment in 1904, even though the spanish Football Federation was first established in 1909. The first Spain national football team was constituted in 1920, with the main objective of finding a team that would represent Spain at the Summer Olympics held in Belgium in that lapp class. Spain made their debut at the tournament on 28 August 1920 against Denmark, silver medallists at the end two Olympic tournaments. The spanish managed to win that match by a scoreline of 1–0, finally finishing with the silver decoration. [ 13 ] Spain qualified for their foremost FIFA World Cup in 1934, defeating Brazil in their first crippled and lose in a replay to the hosts and eventual champions Italy in the quarter-finals. [ 14 ] The spanish Civil War and World War II prevented Spain from playing any competitive matches between the 1934 World Cup and the 1950 edition ‘s qualifiers. At the 1950 finals in Brazil, they topped their group to progress to the final examination round, then finished in fourthly place. [ 15 ] Until 2010, this had been Spain ‘s highest finish in a FIFA World Cup finals, which had given them the name of the “ underachievers ”. [ 16 ] Spain won its first major international title when hosting the 1964 european Championship held in Spain, defeating the Soviet Union 2–1 in the final at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. [ 17 ] The victory would stand as Spain ‘s lone major style for 44 years. Spain was selected as horde of the 1982 FIFA World Cup, reaching the second round and four years late they reached the quarter-finals before a penalty gunfight kill to Belgium. [ 18 ] Spain reached the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup. The couple became controversial when italian defender Mauro Tassotti struck Luis Enrique with his elbow inside Spain ‘s penalty area, causing Luis Enrique to bleed abundantly from his nose and sass, but the foul was not noticed nor sanctioned by referee Sándor Puhl. Had the official acknowledged the foul, Spain would have merited a penalty kick. [ 19 ] In the 2002 World Cup, Spain won its three group play matches, then defeated the Republic of Ireland on penalties in the second turn. They faced co-hosts South Korea in the quarter-finals, losing in a gunfight after having two goals controversially called back for allege infractions during regular and extra fourth dimension. [ 20 ]
World Cup champions parade, observe as they pass in battlefront of the Air Force Headquarters in Madrid At UEFA Euro 2008, Spain won all their games in Group D. Italy were the opponents in the quarter-final match, which Spain won 4–2 on penalties. They then met Russia again in the semi-final, beating them 3–0. [ 21 ] In the final, Spain defeated Germany 1–0, with Fernando Torres scoring the alone goal of the game. [ 22 ] This was Spain ‘s first major deed since the 1964 european Championship. Xavi was awarded the player of the tournament. [ 23 ] In the 2010 World Cup, Spain advanced to the final for the first time ever by defeating Germany 1–0. In the decisive match against the Netherlands, Andrés Iniesta scored the peer ‘s merely finish, coming in extra clock time. Spain became the one-third team to win a World Cup outside their own continent, and the foremost european team to do thus. Goalkeeper Iker Casillas won the golden glove for only conceding two goals during the tournament, while David Villa won the bronze ball and silver boot, tied for top scorer of the tournament. Spain qualified top of Group I in qualification for UEFA Euro 2012 with a arrant 100 % record. [ 8 ] They became the first team to retain the European Championship, winning the final 4–0 against Italy, while Fernando Torres won the Golden Boot for top scorer of the tournament. [ 24 ] Two years late, however, they were eliminated from the group stage of the 2014 World Cup. [ 25 ] At Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, the side reached the last 16. [ 26 ] [ 27 ] In the UEFA Euro 2020 held in 2021, Spain made a breakthrough, reaching the last four of a major tournament for the first time since 2012, before losing to eventual champions Italy on penalties. The team finished the tournament with two wins and four draws ( including two penalty shootouts ). [ 28 ]
team image [edit ]
Nicknames [edit ]
spanish team is normally known by fans as “ La Furia Roja “, meaning the Red Fury in spanish. [ 1 ] recalling the “ Sack of Antwerp “ – an sequence in the military history of Spain-. [ 29 ] however, there are another unofficial nicknames to refer to the national team of Spain. The other most common dub, known by fans, is “ Los Toros “ ( Fighting Bulls ), since spanish Fighting Bull is one of Spain ‘s celebrated national treasures and often used to define spanish culture, and besides often depicted by spanish supporters alike. [ 30 ] spanish football team is sometimes besides referred as the Bulls due to this cultural inheritance. [ 31 ] spanish team besides received other nicknames, largely “ Toreros “ or “ Matador “, both meanings are Bullfighters in spanish, to describe its passionate and quixotic manner of football play. [ 32 ]
vogue of play [edit ]
During Spain ‘s most successful period between 2008 and 2012, the team played a vogue of football dubbed ‘tiki-taka ‘, a systems border on to football founded upon the ideal of team one and a comprehensive examination agreement in the geometry of outer space on a football field. [ 33 ] Tiki-taka has been variously described as “ a style of play based on making your direction to the back of the net through short passing and drift ”, [ 34 ] a “ shortstop communicate dash in which the ball is worked cautiously through versatile channels ”, [ 35 ] and a “ absurd give voice that has come to mean short pass, solitaire and possession above all else ”. [ 36 ] The manner involves roaming apparent motion and positional exchange amongst midfielders, moving the ball in intricate patterns, [ 37 ] and abrupt, one or two-touch spend. [ 38 ] Tiki-taka is “ both defensive and dysphemistic in adequate bill ” – the team is constantly in monomania, thus does n’t need to switch between defending and attacking. [ 39 ] Commentators have contrasted tiki-taka with “ Route One animalism ” [ 34 ] and with the higher-tempo passage of Barcelona and Arsène Wenger ‘s 2007–08 Arsenal side, which employed Cesc Fàbregas as the alone distribution channel between defensive structure and attack. [ 35 ] Tiki-taka is associated with flare, creativity, and tint, [ 40 ] but can besides be taken to a “ slow, adrift extreme ” that sacrifices effectiveness for aesthetics. [ 36 ] Tiki-taka was successfully employed by the spanish home team to win UEFA Euro 2008, 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. The team of this era is regarded as being among the greatest external teams in history. [ 10 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ]
They have the Barcelona “ carousel ” of Xavi and Andrés Iniesta augmented by Real Madrid ‘s Xabi Alonso in midfield .Phil McNulty of the BBC on the midfield players at the heart of Spain’s tiki-taka passing style of play.[8]
Sid Lowe identifies Luis Aragonés ‘ annealing of tiki-taka with realism as a key factor in Spain ‘s success in Euro 2008. Aragonés used tiki-taka to “ protect a defense that appeared fishy [ … ], maintain monomania and dominate games ” without taking the style to “ evangelical extremes ”. none of Spain ‘s first six goals in the tournament came from tiki-taka : five came from direct breaks and one from a set play. [ 36 ] For Lowe, Spain ‘s achiever in the 2010 World Cup was testify of the meet of two traditions in spanish football : the “ knock-down, aggressive, direct ” style that earned the flatware medal-winning 1920 Antwerp Olympics team the dub La Furia Roja ( “ The Red Fury ” ) and the tiki-taka vogue of the contemporary Spanish team, which focused on a collective, short-passing, technical and possession-based game. [ 41 ] Analyzing Spain ‘s semi-final victory over Germany at the 2010 World Cup, Honigstein described the spanish team ‘s tiki-taka dash as “ the most unmanageable adaptation of football possible : an uncompromising passing game, coupled with intense, high pressing ”. For Honigstein, tiki-taka is “ a significant upgrade ” of full Football because it relies on ball apparent motion rather than players switching position. Tiki-taka allowed Spain to “ control both the ball and the adversary ”. [ 39 ]
We have the lapp idea as each early. Keep the ball, create movement around and off the musket ball, get in the spaces to cause danger .Xabi Alonso (Spanish midfielder).[38]
Kits and crest [edit ]
Spain ‘s kit is traditionally a red jersey with yellow trim, blue bluing shorts and blacken socks, whilst their stream away kit out is all predominantly white. The color of the socks altered throughout the 1990s from black to the lapp blue discolor as the shorts, matching either the blasphemous of the shorts or the bolshevik of the shirt until the mid-2010s when they returned to their traditional total darkness. Spain ‘s kits have been produced by manufacturers including Adidas ( from 1981 until 1983 ), Le Coq Sportif ( from 1983 until 1991 ) and Adidas once again ( since 1991 ). Rather than displaying the logo of the spanish football confederation, Spain ‘s jersey traditionally features the coat of arms of Spain over the left summit. After winning the 2010 World Cup, the World Cup winners badge was added to the correct breast of the jersey and a fortunate leading at the top of the spanish coat of arms .
Kit suppliers [edit ]
home stadium [edit ]
Spain does not have a designated national stadium, and as such, major qualifying matches are normally played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. The capital city Madrid ( Bernabéu and Metropolitano ), Seville ( Pizjuán, La Cartuja and Villamarín ), Valencia ( Mestalla and Orriols ) and Barcelona ( Camp Nou and Montjuïc ), are the four spanish cities that have hosted more than 15 home team matches, while besides being home to the largest stadiums in the area. [ 44 ] early friendly matches, arsenic well as qualifying fixtures against smaller opponents, are played in provincial stadium. The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification crusade included matches at the Reino de León in León, [ 45 ] Los Cármenes in Granada, [ 46 ] El Molinón in Gijón, [ 47 ] and the Rico Pérez in Alicante. [ 48 ]
Media coverage [edit ]
Spain ‘s UEFA european Qualifiers and UEFA Nations League matches, and all friendly games from 2018 until 2022, will be televised nationally by La 1, flagship television channel of the public broadcaster TVE. [ 49 ]
Rivalries [edit ]
Spain has three independent rivalries with other top footballing nations .
- Their rivalry with Italy, sometimes referred to as the Mediterranean Derby,[50] has been contested since 1920, and, although the two nations are not immediate geographical neighbours, their rivalry at international level is enhanced by the strong performances of the representative clubs in UEFA competitions, in which they are among the leading associations and have each enjoyed spells of dominance.[51][52] Since the quarterfinal match between the two countries at Euro 2008, the rivalry has renewed, with its most notable match between the two sides being in the UEFA Euro 2012 Final, which Spain won 4–0.[53][54]
- Their rivalry with Portugal, also known as the Iberian Derby, is one of the oldest football rivalries at a national level. It began on 18 December 1921, when Portugal lost 3–1 to Spain at Madrid in their first ever international friendly game. Portugal lost their first matches, with their first draw (2–2) only coming in 1926. Portugal’s first win came much later (4–1) in 1947. Both belong to the strongest football nations of the world, and have met a total of 39 times (of which 9 matches were competitive) which resulted in 17 victories for Spain, 16 draws and 6 victories for Portugal.
- Their rivalry with France, also another major football force, is also one of the oldest at a national level. Spain and France have met a total of 36 times, began with a 4–0 triumph for Spain in a friendly in Bordeaux on 30 April 1922, though their first competitive meeting came in the UEFA Euro 1984 Final, which France won to take over its first major international honour.[55][56] Spain dominated the head-to-head record with 16 wins, 13 losses and 7 draws, though France has gotten more international glories than Spain.
Results and fixtures [edit ]
For all past match results of the national team, see single-season articles, and Spain home football team results The come matches were played or are scheduled to be played by the national team in the stream or approaching seasons. [ 57 ]
2021 [edit ]
2022 [edit ]
Spain
five TBD 21–24 November 2022 2022 FIFA World Cup vQatar
Stadium: TBDSpain five TBD 25–28 November 2022 2022 FIFA World Cup vQatar
Stadium: TBDSpain vanadium TBD 29 November – 2 December 2022
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2022 FIFA World Cup vQatar
Stadium: TBD
Coaching staff [edit ]
Players [edit ]
current team [edit ]
The follow 25 players have been called up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Greece and Sweden on 11 and 14 November 2021, respectively .
- Information correct as of 14 November 2021, after the match against Sweden.
holocene call-ups [edit ]
The following players have been called up for the team in the last twelve months .
former squads [edit ]
individual records [edit ]
actor records [edit ]
Sergio Ramos holds the criminal record for most appearances for the spanish team with 180 since his introduction in 2005. In second place is Iker Casillas with 167, followed by Xavi with 133. [ 58 ] David Villa holds the title of Spain ‘s highest goalscorer, scoring 59 goals from 2005 to 2017, during which time he played for Spain on 98 occasions. Raúl González is the moment highest goalscorer, scoring 44 goals in 102 appearances between 1996 and 2006. Between November 2006 and June 2009, Spain went undefeated for a record-equaling 35 consecutive matches before their personnel casualty to the United States in the Confederations Cup, a read shared with Brazil and Italy, and included a record 15-game gain streak. In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Spain became the inaugural european home team to lift the World Cup trophy outside Europe ; along with Brazil, Germany and Argentina, Spain is one of the four national teams to have won the FIFA World Cup outside its home continent .
Most cap players [edit ]
Sergio Ramos holds the record for most appearances in the history of Spain with 180 caps Below is a list of the ten players with the most caps for Spain, as of 14 November 2021. [ 2 ] [ 59 ]
- Players in bold are still active with Spain.
top goalscorers [edit ]
David Villa is the top scorekeeper in the history of Spain with 59 goals Below is a list of the clear ten goalscorers for Spain, as of 14 November 2021. [ 60 ] [ 61 ]
Captains [edit ]
list of captainship periods of the diverse captains throughout the years .
coach records [edit ]
- Most manager appearances
- Vicente del Bosque: 114
team records [edit ]
competitive commemorate [edit ]
For the all-time record of the national team against opposing nations, see Spain national football team all-time record
FIFA World Cup [edit ]
Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth invest
FIFA World Cup record
FIFA World Cup qualification record
Year
Round
Position
*
1930
Did not enter
Did not enter
1934
Quarter-finals
5th
3
1
1
1
4
3
2
2
0
0
11
1
1938
Withdrew
Withdrew
1950
Fourth place
4th
6
3
1
2
10
12
2
1
1
0
7
3
1954
Did not qualify
3
1
1
1
6
3
1958
4
2
1
1
12
8
1962
Group stage
13th
3
1
0
2
2
3
4
3
1
0
7
4
1966
Group stage
10th
3
1
0
2
4
5
3
2
0
1
5
2
1970
Did not qualify
6
2
2
2
10
6
1974
5
2
2
1
8
5
1978
Group stage
10th
3
1
1
1
2
2
4
3
0
1
4
1
1982
Second group stage
12th
5
1
2
2
4
5
Qualified as host
1986
Quarter-finals
7th
5
3
1
1
11
4
6
4
0
2
9
8
1990
Round of 16
10th
4
2
1
1
6
4
8
6
1
1
20
3
1994
Quarter-finals
8th
5
2
2
1
10
6
12
8
3
1
27
4
1998
Group stage
17th
3
1
1
1
8
4
10
8
2
0
26
6
2002
Quarter-finals
5th
5
3
2
0
10
5
8
6
2
0
21
4
2006
Round of 16
9th
4
3
0
1
9
4
12
6
6
0
25
5
2010
Champions
1st
7
6
0
1
8
2
10
10
0
0
28
5
2014
Group stage
23rd
3
1
0
2
4
7
8
6
2
0
14
3
2018
Round of 16
10th
4
1
3
0
7
6
10
9
1
0
36
3
2022
Qualified
8
6
1
1
15
5
2026
To be determined
To be determined
Total
1 title
15/21
63
30
15
18
99
72
125
87
26
12
291
79
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
- **Gold background colour indicates that the tournament was won.
- ***Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.
UEFA european backing [edit ]
UEFA European Championship record
Qualification record
Year
Result
Position
Pld
W
D*
L
GF
GA
Pld
W
D*
L
GF
GA
1960
Did not qualify[a]
2
2
0
0
7
2
1964
Champions
1st
2
2
0
0
4
2
6
4
1
1
16
5
1968
Did not qualify
8
3
2
3
7
5
1972
6
3
2
1
14
3
1976
8
3
4
1
11
9
1980
Group stage
7th
3
0
1
2
2
4
6
4
1
1
13
5
1984
Runners-up
2nd
5
1
3
1
4
5
8
6
1
1
24
8
1988
Group stage
6th
3
1
0
2
3
5
6
5
0
1
14
6
1992
Did not qualify
7
3
0
4
17
12
1996
Quarter-finals
6th
4
1
3
0
4
3
10
8
2
0
25
4
2000
Quarter-finals
5th
4
2
0
2
7
7
8
7
0
1
42
5
2004
Group stage
10th
3
1
1
1
2
2
10
7
2
1
21
5
2008
Champions
1st
6
5
1
0
12
3
12
9
1
2
23
8
2012
Champions
1st
6
4
2
0
12
1
8
8
0
0
26
6
2016
Round of 16
10th
4
2
0
2
5
4
10
9
0
1
23
3
2020
Semi-finals
3rd
6
2
4
0
13
6
10
8
2
0
31
5
2024
To be determined
To be determined
Total
3 titles
11/16
46
21
15
10
68
42
125
89
18
18
314
91
Spain’s European Championship record
First match
SpainHungary
(Madrid, Spain; 17 June 1964)
Biggest win
SlovakiaSpain
(Seville, Spain; 23 June 2021)
Biggest defeat
FranceSpain
(Paris, France; 27 June 1984) West GermanySpain
(Munich, West Germany; 17 June 1988) ItalySpain
(Saint-Denis, France; 27 June 2016)
Best result
Champions in 1964, 2008 and 2012
Worst result
Group stage in 1980, 1988 and 2004
UEFA Nations League [edit ]
UEFA Nations League record
Season
Division
Group
Round
2018–19
A
4
Group Stage
7th
4
2
0
2
12
7
2020–21
A
4
Runners-up
2nd
8
4
2
2
16
6
2022–23
A
TBA
To be determined
Total
2/2
4th
12
6
2
4
28
13
Spain’s Nations League record
First match
EnglandSpain
(London, England; 8 September 2018)
Biggest win
SpainCroatia
(Elche, Spain; 11 September 2018) SpainGermany
(Seville, Spain; 17 November 2020)
Biggest defeat
SpainEngland
(Seville, Spain; 15 October 2018) CroatiaSpain
(Zagreb, Croatia; 15 November 2018) UkraineSpain
(Kyiv, Ukraine; 13 October 2020)
Best result
Runners-up in 2020–21
Worst result
7th place in 2018–19
FIFA Confederations Cup [edit ]
Olympic Games [edit ]
- Denotes draws including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
mediterranean Games [edit ]
source : [ 62 ]
neck and neck record [edit ]
all-time results [edit ]
The following table shows Spain ‘s all-time external record, correct as of 14 June 2021 .
Played
Won
Drawn
Lost
Total
716
418
166
132
1434
643
FIFA Rankings [edit ]
Last update was on 28 November 2019. source : [ 63 ]
Spain ‘s FIFA worldly concern rankings
Rank
Year
Games
Played
Won
Lost
Drawn
Best
Worst
Rank
Move
Rank
Move
8
2019
10
8
0
2
6
2
9
1
9
2018
14
7
2
5
6
3
10
2
6
2017
10
8
0
2
6
3
11
1
10
2016
15
9
2
4
3
1
11
3
3
2015
9
8
0
1
3
5
12
2
9
2014
12
7
0
5
1
1
10
7
1
2013
16
12
2
2
1
0
1
0
1
2012
16
13
3
0
1
0
1
0
1
2011
12
9
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
2010
17
13
1
3
1
1
2
1
1
2009
16
15
0
1
1
1
2
1
1
2008
16
15
1
0
1
3
4
0
4
2007
12
10
2
0
4
2
12
2
12
2006
14
8
2
4
5
1
12
3
5
2005
12
8
4
0
5
2
9
2
5
2004
13
7
5
1
3
0
5
1
3
2003
11
18
2
1
2
1
3
1
3
2002
13
7
5
1
3
4
8
1
7
2001
9
7
1
1
6
2
8
2
7
2000
14
7
3
4
4
1
7
0
4
1999
10
8
1
1
4
6
9
2
15
1998
10
5
2
3
9
16
25
12
11
1997
6
4
2
0
2
4
11
8
8
1996
11
6
5
0
4
2
10
3
4
1995
9
5
4
0
2
4
6
3
2
1994
15
9
4
2
2
4
9
2
5
1993
9
7
1
1
5
7
14
1
Best Ranking Worst Ranking Best Mover Worst Mover
Honours [edit ]
See besides [edit ]
Notes [edit ]
- ^ Spain refused to travel to the Soviet Union for their reservation quarter-final, so Spain were disqualified and the Soviet Union were awarded a walkover victory .
References [edit ]
Read more: Sevilla FC