Five-times world champions Brazil plummeted further down the FIFA rankings as they hit a record low of 22nd place on Thursday, leaving them sandwiched between Ghana and Mali.
Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal has announced he will miss next month's Euro 2016 tournament after the 24-year-old Spaniard sustained a muscular injury to his right leg during Saturday's Champions League final.
Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke is part of a fresh generation of Spain players aiming to make an impact in Euro 2016 qualifying and says he would be happy if he achieves half the success of retired great Xavi.
Manchester United will reportedly make a whopping 30 million pounds raid for Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke as soon as the transfer window opens in January in the New Year.
Qualifiers Spain and the United States suffered blows in friendlies, the world champions beaten 1-0 by eliminated South Africa on the SoccerCity pitch where they clinched their 2010 crown and the Americans losing 1-0 away to lowly Austria.
Nolito is adamant that he will not allow growing speculation about his club future to become a distraction as he "lives a dream" with Spain at Euro 2016.
Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas said he was keen to carry on racking up the international accolades after equalling the record for most caps by a European player but acknowledged he was closing in on retirement.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas was forced off in the 15th minute of Tuesday's 6-1 Champions League Group B romp at Galatasaray after sustaining a rib injury in a collision with team mate Sergio Ramos.
Former world champions Spain will have to wait to regain their past glory but they need not discard their attractive brand of football that earned them fans and laurels, World Cup-winning defender Joan Capdevila told Reuters in an interview.
Spain defeated Australia 3-0 in their final World Cup Group B game on Monday, giving a modicum of respect to the defending champions' poor campaign.
Spain's influential midfielder Andres Iniesta says the secret to his top form at Euro 2016 has been his speed of thought. The 32-year-old Barcelona captain has made a smooth transition from an attacking role to central midfield and been instrumental in his country's two victories over the Czech Republic and Turkey in Group D.
His season has been 10 out of 10 and there is no reason to break the contract, says Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Bigger than ever, the European Championship kicks off in Paris on Friday with a four-week feast of football that promises to elevate the game above the corruption scandals and security fears that have overshadowed its build-up. All eyes will be on hosts France when they get the ball rolling against Romania in the Stade de France -- 210 days after suicide bombers at the same venue triggered a night of horror across the capital which killed 130 people.
Netherlands revived bitter Spanish memories from last year's World Cup finals when they beat a second-string La Roja 2-0 in a friendly.
The good times are back, in a measured way, in fun spots across the globe.
World champions Germany are to meet Ukraine, Poland and Northern Ireland in Group C.
Influential Spain defender Gerard Pique has said he will retire from international soccer after the 2018 World Cup, because he is "tired" of the criticism levelled at him from supporters. The Barcelona centre-back was the focus of attention in Sunday's World Cup qualifier with Albania after having cut off the sleeves from his shirt which bore Spain's colours of yellow and red. Pique, who has an awkward relationship with Spain fans for his repeated jibes at Real Madrid and his support for a referendum on Catalan independence, was heavily criticised on social media and in the sports press for the act.
Chile overwhelmed an out-of-sorts Spain 2-0 to join the Netherlands in the second round of the World Cup and eliminate the defending champions on a memorable night at the Maracana on Wednesday.
Reigning champions Spain left it late but Gerard Pique's 87th-minute header earned them a deserved 1-0 victory over a dogged Czech Republic in their Euro 2016 Group D opener on Monday.
Stunning goals from Dutch captain Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben ensured an awful start to Spain's World Cup defence as the Netherlands destroyed one of the tournament favourites 5-1 in Group B on Friday.
The three sides who have bossed the ball the most in Russia, Spain, Germany and Argentina have all said "do-svidaniya" before the quarter-finals.
Italy's Daniele De Rossi scored a late penalty to earn a 1-1 draw against Spain in their World Cup qualifier on Thursday, sparing home goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon's blushes after he gifted the visitors the lead. Buffon, making his 164th appearance, rushed out of his area as Vitolo broke clear but the 38-year-old completely mistimed his tackle, allowing the Spaniard to go round him and put the ball into an empty net in the 55th minute. Italy, who had been outplayed in the Group G clash, fought back and levelled in the 82nd when Eder was fouled by Sergio Ramos and De Rossi converted the spot kick, their only shot on target in the match.
Valencia's Paco Alcacer, Dani Parejo and Pablo Piatti found the target as they took full advantage of the first-half dismissal of Malaga's Sergi Darder to win 3-0 at the Mestalla on Friday.
'It was a crazy game where we had the bit of luck that we didn't have in Slovenia'
Photos from the Euro 2016 qualifying matches played on Sunday.
A soccer friendly between Belgium and Spain scheduled for Brussels on Tuesday has been postponed for security reasons after the Paris attacks, the Belgian soccer federation said in a statement.
It has been a long time coming but Spain look as if they may finally have solved their number nine problems following Alvaro Morata's two goals in the 3-0 win over Turkey.
Real Madrid's Welsh winger Gareth Bale has joined Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the race for FIFA's Ballon d'Or award.
In leading Real Madrid to their 11th European Cup less than five months after inheriting an unhappy team from Rafael Benitez, Zinedine Zidane has cemented his heroic status at the Bernabeu and appears to have assured his immediate future.
Diego Costa has yet to open his account for Spain in five appearances, a perplexing state of affairs given his prolific form for Atletico Madrid last season and his blistering start at Chelsea.
Spain struck twice in the second half to overcome a typically spirited Ireland 2-0 in their friendly international at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.
Luis Aragones, the coach of Spain's 2008 European Championship-winning side, has died at the age of 75, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced on Saturday.
Holders Spain were knocked out of Euro 2016 in a 2-0 defeat by Italy on Monday after goals by Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle set up a quarter-final with world champions Germany. Chiellini opened the scoring after 33 minutes while Pelle wrapped up the victory in stoppage time to end Spain's reign as European champions which covered the 2008 and 2012 tournaments.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is racing to be fit for Sweden's Euro 2016 qualifiers against Russia and Liechtenstein in Stockholm, but won't risk playing with pain-killing injections.
Real Madrid fans could be forgiven for wondering whether a new president is needed rather than yet another new coach after Carlo Ancelotti was sacked.
If you ask Barcelona and Spain fans about their most cherished footballing memories over the past decade the chances are they will involve an exquisite intervention from midfield maestro Xavi.
Bigger than ever, the European Championship kicks off in Paris next month with a four-week feast of football that promises to elevate the game above the corruption scandals and security fears that have overshadowed its build-up.
Andres Iniesta will always have a special place in the hearts of Spanish soccer fans for scoring the dramatic extra-time goal that secured the Iberian nation's first world title in South Africa in 2010.
Two brilliant strikes from Isco and a late goal from Alvaro Morata gave Spain a spectacular 3-0 win over Italy, their nearest challengers in Group G, to move into the driving seat for automatic qualification to the 2018 World Cup.
At least two of the eight first-round groups of four produced tough obstacles for their participants to progress to the knockout rounds.
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