David Villa and Xabi Alonso netted long-range free kicks from near-identical positions to help Spain to a 3-0 win over Venezuela in a friendly international on Tuesday.
Bossing the midfield with experienced, talented players was the decisive factor in Spain's deserved 1-0 win over Germany in the World Cup semi-final on Wednesday, Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has no time for mind games and is wary of a suggestion from his opposite number that Turkey will play for a draw against them in Friday's Euro 2016 match. Turkey coach Fatih Terim said earlier on Thursday that he would be satisfied with a point from the Group D match against the European champions, but Del Bosque was not convinced.
Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque is facing calls to replace striker Fernando Torres with Fernando Llorente for Saturday's quarter-final with Paraguay.
Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta stepped up his recovery from a minor thigh muscle strain on Saturday but remains a doubt for the European champions' opening Group H match on June 16.
Victor Valdes is having another outstanding season for Barcelona and his continued absence from Spain's squad underlines the embarrassment of goalkeeping riches for the European champions. Valdes, who was called up once in August 2005 but did not play, has no chance of ousting Real Madrid's Iker Casillas as Spain's number one and if he makes Vicente del Bosque's World Cup squad will be third choice behind Liverpool's Pepe Reina.
Spain, who won Euro 2008 with a series of superb performances culminating in their victory over Germany in the final, are ranked number one in the world and were grouped with Czech Republic, Scotland, Lithuania and Liechtenstein.
Barcelona's Xavi, Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta are on the shortlist for the first FIFA Ballon D'Or award for the best player in the world to be presented on Monday at a ceremony that gets bigger by the year.
European champions Spain remained top of the world soccer rankings for a fourth straight month on Wednesday after extending their lead over world champions Italy.
England were booed off at halftime against Andorra before grinding out a 2-0 victory as Europe's 2010 World Cup qualifiers began in earnest on Saturday.
As Vicente Del Bosque's high flying La Furia Roja side get ready to take on Bert Van Marwijk's industrious and effective Oranje at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday, rediff.com takes a look at a few players who can make a difference to the eventual outcome.
Spain have not been clinical enough in front of goal at the World Cup, according to coach Vicente del Bosque.
Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas will probably be available for Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against Germany after a blow to the leg proved less serious than feared, coach Vicente del Bosque said on Tuesday.
Spain were caught by surprise by the United States when the European champions lost 2-0 in the Confederations Cup semi-final on Wednesday, said coach Vicente del Bosque.
David Villa has found the rich vein of form that can win a World Cup and as long as he continues to mine it, Spain will be quietly confident of adding soccer's biggest prize to their European crown
Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso is a serious doubt for the European champions' last-16 clash against neighbours Portugal after spraining an ankle in Friday's 2-1 win over Chile.
Spain's 2-0 defeat of outsiders Honduras got their World Cup campaign back on track, but their victory was not quite enough for coach Vicente del Bosque.
A dominant Spain got their World Cup campaign firmly back on track when David Villa struck twice to lead the European champions to a 2-0 win over Group H minnows Honduras on Monday.
Striker David Villa hit two stunning goals -- and missed a penalty -- as Spain returned to form with a 2-0 victory over Honduras at the World Cup on Monday.
Spain striker Fernando Torres is unlikely to feature in the European champions' opening World Cup Group H match against Switzerland on Wednesday, said coach Vicente del Bosque.
Striker Alvaro Negredo scored twice and created two more goals to lift European champions Spain to a 5-2 victory over Bosnia on Wednesday and make it 10 wins out of 10 in World Cup qualifying Group Five. Coach Vicente del Bosque gave Negredo his first starting spot in place of Fernando Torres and the Sevilla forward took his chance to impress with two goals in five second-half minutes and assists for David Silva and Juan Mata.
Former Real Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque will take charge of Spain until the 2010 World Cup, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said on Tuesday. The 57-year-old Del Bosque replaces Luis Aragones, who quit to join Fenerbahce after leading the national side to victory at Euro 2008 in June.
Spain and Costa Rica are playing in Group E along with Germany and Japan.
Spain striker Diego Costa could miss next month's European Championship finals due to his latest hamstring injury, Chelsea's interim manager Guus Hiddink said on Friday.
Spain boss Vicente del Bosque is not expecting a repeat of their crushing 4-0 victory over Italy in the final four years ago when the two sides meet in the last 16 of Euro 2016 on Monday. Spain destroyed the Italians in one of the most one-sided finals in the competition's history at Euro 2012 to clinch their second consecutive European title and reaffirm their status as the world's then dominant side.
The former Manchester United assistant manager signed a two-year contract with the Spanish champions on Wednesday.
It is considered that the team needs a change in its sporting planning and criteria in accordance with more modern methods.
Florentino Perez has acquired a reputation for being Real Madrid's hero after bringing Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham to the club.
"I've had talks with Hierro and his representatives over the weekend and he is keen to come to Bolton," Bolton manager Sam Allardyce said.
The Real Madrid captain played over 500 matches and helped the team to three European Cups and six league titles.
Vicente del Bosque is still unsure about his future as Real Madrid coach, despite landing his fourth major trophy in less than four years in charge.
Vicente del Bosque said his side still has a lot of hard work to do to make the Champions League quarter-finals.
Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta will missSpain's Euro 2016 qualifier in Belarus due to injury, it has been confirmed on the national team's website on Sunday.
Sevilla midfielder Aleix Vidal will join treble winners Barcelona.
Espanyol have agreed a deal for goalkeeper Kiko Casilla to join Real Madrid, the Catalan club said on Friday.
Spain coach Julen Lopetegui will take over as Real Madrid manager on a three-year contract after the World Cup, the European champions said on Tuesday.
Zidane ruled out following in the footsteps of Alex Ferguson, who spent 26 years in charge of Manchester United.
Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas has given a strong indication that he will retire from international footbal after 16 years. The 35-year-old did not play in any of Spain's four games at Euro 2016 with national team coach Vicente del Bosque picking Manchester United's David De Gea in goal. Casillas, who made his debut in 2000 and is Spain's most capped player with 167 appearances, posted a video on his twitter account (@casillasworld) of a Rambo film with the dialogue saying: "I don't know where but I'm going."
Relief ran through Spanish ranks after Gerard Pique's late header secured a 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic in their opening Group D match at Euro 2016 on Monday.
The suggestion that Spain need to change their playing style is already meeting resistance even though another disappointing performance at a major soccer tournament suggests that tiki-taka has run its course. In many countries, a defeat as comprehensive as the one Spain suffered against Italy in Euro 2016 on Monday, when they were outplayed and lucky to lose only 2-0, would have led to calls to knock everything down and start again. In Spain, however, where many are proud of having such a distinctive style of play, there are plenty of voices calling for the team to continue trying to pass the ball all the way into the goal.
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