Spain
The Road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Spain were drawn alongside Italy in the same qualifying group, with the pair set to battle it out for an automatic spot in Russia. Their meeting in Turin ended in a 1-1 draw, but Julen Lopetegui’s men won the return match in Madrid – as well as all their eight other group games – on their way to securing top spot and an automatic berth at Russia 2018. Spain scored 36 goals while letting in only three – the joint fewest goals conceded in qualification, along with England.
Stars
The Spanish squad boasts some of the biggest names in world football. Defender Sergio Ramos is among the player who remain from the famous team that won the European Championships in 2008 and 2012, either side of claiming World Cup glory in 2010. The Real Madrid man has racked up almost 150 appearances for the national team since making his debut in 2005. He usually plays alongside Gerard Pique of Barcelona, another key player for the Spaniards.
Manchester United’s David de Gea has secured the number one jersey since the retirement of stalwart Iker Casillas. Having missed only one game in qualifying, de Gea has become a key figure in securing Spain’s impressive defensive record.
Andres Iniesta remains a crucial player for his national team at 33, having enjoyed a glittering career that has seen him win multiple Champions League and La Liga titles and scoring that all-important match-winning goal in extra time in the final of the 2010 World Cup. However, Russia 2018 will be Iniesta’s Spanish swansong, as the Barcelona midfielder is expected to retire from international football following the tournament.
Fellow midfielder Isco, of Real Madrid, is seen as the future of Spanish football. Isco scored five goals and provided two assists in qualifying, with his brace helping Spain overcome Italy in Madrid, after which fans began comparing him to the level of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Another player to watch out for at the World Cup is young Marco Asensio, Isco’s teammate at Real Madrid. It will be hard for the 22-year-old midfielder to secure a place in the starting line-up, but he may shine if given a chance.
Coach
Julen Lopetegui began coaching youth teams before making the step up to senior level. The former Real and Barcelona goalkeeper began with Real Madrid’s second-string Castilla team and then continued coaching young Spanish players for the national team. He won two European Championships with the U19 team and then repeated his success with the U21 team.
In 2014, Lopetegui went to Portuguese side Porto, but was unable to achieve major success with the club. However, he was the man the Spanish Football Federation turned to after Vicente Del Bosque’s retirement. His appointment made sense: the time had come for a new generation of international players to be bled through, and Lopetegui, who knows how to work with youngsters, was best-suited for the job. He knows many players from their time in the youth teams, including Alvaro Morata, Gerard Deulofeu, Saul and others.
Past Achievements
Spain were for many years underachievers at the World Cup, unable to get past the quarter-final stage no matter how strong their squad was. In 2002, for example, Jose Antonio Camacho’s team faced South Korea, but were unable to secure victory due to controversial refereeing by Gamal Al-Ghandour, whose calls often favored the World Cup hosts.
In 2006, ‘La Furia Roja’ saw their hopes dashed by France, led by Zinedine Zidane. But four years later in South Africa, nobody could stop the Spaniards from winning the coveted trophy. Casillas and his teammates were head and shoulders above their opponents, winning all their games except one – the very first match of the group stage, when the future champions lost to Switzerland.
Del Bosque’s team made the necessary adjustments after the loss and remained unbeaten after that shock defeat. In the knock-out stage, Spain won their first three matches 1-0, and then in the final against the Netherlands, Iniesta scored in the 116th minute to bring the trophy to the Iberian nation for the first time in its history.
Russia 2018 will be Spain’s 15th appearance at the Finals.