Spain (Group H)

Team founded: 1913 (affiliated 1904)

World Cup Participations: eleven (1934, 1950, 1962, 1966, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002)

World Cup Honors: 4th place (1950)

Titles: European champions

Coach: Luis Aragones (nationality: Spanish)

Team Captain: Raul (Real Madrid), his country's all-time leading scorer

The Squad
Goalkeepers
Santiago Canizares (Valencia)
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
Jose Reina (Liverpool)

Defenders
Juanito Gutierrez (Real Betis)
Asier Del Horno (Chelsea)
Antonio Lopez (Atletico Madrid)
Carlos Marchena (Valencia)
Carles Puyol (Barcelona)
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
Michel Salgado (Real Madrid)
Pablo Ibanez (Atletico Madrid)

Midfielders
David Albelda (Valencia)
Xabi Alonso (Liverpool)
Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona)
Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)
Joaquin Sanchez (Real Betis)
Marcos Senna (Villarreal)

Strikers
Luis Garcia (Liverpool)
Raul Gonzalez (Real Madrid)
Jose Antonio Reyes (Arsenal)
Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid)
David Villa (Valencia)

Ranking: 5

Qualifiers: Second to Serbia & Montenegro in qualifiers, with five wins and five draws.

Schedule
June 14 v Ukraine (Leipzig) W 4-0
June 19 v Tunisia (Stuttgart) W 3-1
June 23 v Saudi Arabia (Kaiserslautern)

The Odds: Spain faces stiff opposition in Ukraine, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia, but is favored to top the group. This is its seventh finals in a row, but just as consistently the team has disappointed. It would be shamed by a loss to either the Saudis or the Tunisians, and both stack up as real threats. Spain plays Ukraine first, and if it loses there, the jitters may set in.