Spain national football team

The Spain national football team (Selección Española de Fútbol) has represented Spain in men's international football competitions since 1920. It is governed by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain.

Spain is one of eight national teams to have been crowned world champions and has participated in a total of 16 out of 22 FIFA World Cups, winning the 2010 edition, and qualifying consistently since 1978. Spain has participated in a total of twelve out of seventeen UEFA European Championships, winning their first in 1964, and are the current European champions, having won a record fourth title in 2024. After their victory in the 2023 UEFA Nations League they became the second national team, following France, to win three major titles (World Cup, European Championship and Nations League). Spain is also one of only two nations to have won both women's and men's World Cups, alongside Germany.

Having won one World Cup, one Nations League, and three European Championship titles since 2008, Spain is the most successful European team of the 21st century. The team's achievements from 2008 to 2012 have led many experts and commentators to consider this era's squads one of the best ever teams in football history. During this period, Spain became the first national team to win three consecutive major titles, including two back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012, while becoming the first European team to win a World Cup held outside of Europe. From 2008 to 2013, Spain won the FIFA Team of the Year, the second-most of any nation, behind only Brazil. From the start of 2007 to the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, Spain achieved 35 consecutive undefeated matches, a feat which they shared with Brazil, and a record for the sport at the time.

History
Spain has been a member of FIFA since its founding 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 1920 Summer Olympics held in Belgium in that same year. Spain made their debut at the tournament on 28 August 1920 against Denmark, silver medalists at the last two Olympic tournaments. Spain managed to win that match by a scoreline of 1–0, eventually finishing with the silver medal. Spain qualified for their first FIFA World Cup in 1934, defeating Brazil in their first game and losing in a replay to the hosts and eventual champions Italy in the quarter-finals. 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 finals round, then finished in fourth place. Until 2010, this had been Spain's highest finish in a FIFA World Cup finals.

Spain won its first major international title when it hosted the 1964 European Nations' Cup, defeating the Soviet Union 2–1 in the final at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. The victory would stand as Spain's lone major title for 44 years. Spain was selected as host of the 1982 FIFA World Cup, reaching the second round and four years later they reached the quarter-finals before a penalty shootout defeat to Belgium. Also at UEFA Euro 1984, they lost the final against France. Spain reached the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup. The match became controversial when Italian defender Mauro Tassotti struck Luis Enrique with his elbow inside Spain's penalty area, causing Luis Enrique to bleed profusely from his nose and mouth, but it was not noticed nor sanctioned by referee Sándor Puhl. Had the official awarded a foul, Spain would have received a penalty kick. In the 2002 World Cup, Spain won its three group play matches, then defeated the Republic of Ireland on penalties in the second round. They faced co-hosts South Korea in the quarter-finals, losing in a shootout after having two goals controversially called back for alleged infractions during regular and extra time.

At UEFA Euro 2008, Spain won all their games in Group D. Italy were the opponents in the quarter-finals match, which Spain won 4–2 on penalties. They then met Russia again in the semi-finals, beating them 3–0. In the final, Spain defeated Germany 1–0, with Fernando Torres scoring the only goal of the game. This was Spain's first major title since the 1964 European Championship. Xavi was awarded the player of the tournament. The following year the side finished third at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup breaking their 35-match unbeaten streak that began in November 2006 after a loss to the United States. 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 match's only goal, coming in extra time. Spain became the third team to win a World Cup outside their own continent, and the first European team to do so. They then qualified for UEFA Euro 2012, finishing on top of Group I with a perfect 100% record. 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.

Spain advanced to the final of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, losing to hosts Brazil, and the following year they were eliminated from the group stage of the 2014 World Cup. At Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, the side reached the last 16 in both tournaments, losing to Italy 2–0 and Russia 4-3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw. In the UEFA Euro 2020, held in 2021 after COVID-19 pandemic caused delays, Spain made a breakthrough, reaching the last four of a major tournament for the first time since 2012, before losing to eventual champions Italy 4–2 on penalties after a 1–1 draw. The team finished the tournament with two wins and four draws (including two penalty shootouts). The same year they managed to reach the 2021 UEFA Nations League final, losing against France. In the 2022 World Cup, Spain finished second in their group, then in the round of 16, they lost to Morocco 3–0 on penalties after a 0–0 draw, to be the third consecutive elimination from a major tournament in penalty shootouts.

Spain finished top of their group in UEFA Euro 2024 without conceding a goal, and went on to defeat Georgia in the round of 16 by 4–1. They eventually eliminated hosts Germany in the quarter-finals with a 2–1 win and defeated France in the semi-finals with the same result, qualifying for their fifth European Championships final, setting a new record of 6 consecutive matches undefeated in European Championships while awarding France their first defeat in regular time in ten years. Spain won their record-breaking fourth European title by defeating England 2–1 in the final and became the first and only team to win all seven matches in a single European Championship tournament. They also set a new record of 15 goals scored in a single European Championship. Spain's performance during this European Championship led to some dubbing this as the start of a new "golden era" for Spanish football, pointing at the young age of its new team.

Nicknames
Spain's team was known in the past by some fans as "La furia española", the Spanish Fury; this nickname was originally given by a Dutch newspaper, recalling the "Sack of Antwerp" – an episode in the military history of Spain. More modernly, the team is called "La roja", the Red (squad).

Style of play
Between 2008 and 2012, the team played a style of football dubbed 'tiki-taka', a systems approach to football founded upon the ideal of team unity and a comprehensive understanding in the geometry of space on a football field.

Tiki-taka has been variously described as "a style of play based on making your way to the back of the net through short passing and movement", a "short passing style in which the ball is worked carefully through various channels", and a "nonsensical phrase that has come to mean short passing, patience and possession above all else". The style involves roaming movement and positional interchange amongst midfielders, moving the ball in intricate patterns, and sharp, one or two-touch passing. Tiki-taka is "both defensive and offensive in equal measure" – the team is always in possession, so doesn't need to switch between defending and attacking. Commentators have contrasted tiki-taka with "Route One physicality" and with the higher-tempo passing of Barcelona and Arsène Wenger's 2007–08 Arsenal side, which employed Cesc Fàbregas as the only channel between defence and attack. Tiki-taka is associated with flair, creativity, and touch, but can also be taken to a "slow, directionless extreme" that sacrifices effectiveness for aesthetics.

Tiki-taka was successfully employed by Spain to win Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. The 2008–12 teams are regarded as being among the greatest of international teams in football history.

"They have the Barcelona 'carousel' of Xavi and Andrés Iniesta augmented by Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso in midfield."

Sid Lowe identifies Luis Aragonés' tempering of tiki-taka with pragmatism as a key factor in Spain's success in Euro 2008. Aragonés used tiki-taka to "protect a defense that appeared suspect [...], maintain possession 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. For Lowe, Spain's success in the 2010 World Cup was evidence of the meeting of two traditions in Spanish football: the "powerful, aggressive, direct" style that earned the silver medal-winning 1920 Antwerp Olympic team the nickname La furia española (The Spanish Fury) and the tiki-taka style of the contemporary Spain's team, which focused on a collective, short-passing, technical and possession-based game.

Analyzing Spain's semi-final victory over Germany at the 2010 World Cup, Raphael Honigstein described Spain's tiki-taka style as "the most difficult version of football possible: an uncompromising passing game, coupled with intense, high pressing". For Honigstein, tiki-taka is "a significant upgrade" of the Netherlands' Total Football because it relies on ball movement rather than players switching position. Tiki-taka allowed Spain to "control both the ball and the opponent". . Spain held possession of ball more than their opponents in all matches from 2008 to 2024, a record of 136 games.

"We have the same idea as each other. Keep the ball, create movement around and off the ball, get in the spaces to cause danger."

Kits and crest
Spain's kit is traditionally a red jersey with yellow trim, dark blue shorts, and black socks, whilst their current away kit is all predominantly yellow. The colour of the socks altered throughout the 1990s from black to the same blue colour as the shorts, matching either the blue of the shorts or the red of the shirt until the mid-2010s when they returned to their traditional black. Spain's kits have been produced by manufacturers including Adidas (from 1981 until 1983), Le Coq Sportif (from 1984 until 1990) and Adidas once again (since 1991). Rather than displaying the logo of the Spanish Football Federation, Spain's jersey traditionally features the country's coat of arms over the left side. After winning the 2010 World Cup, the World Cup winners badge was added to the right side of the jersey and a golden star at the top of Spain's coat of arms.

Home stadium
Spain does not have a designated national stadium. The capital city of Madrid (Bernabéu and Metropolitano), Seville (Pizjuán, Villamarín and La Cartuja), Valencia (Mestalla and Orriols) and Barcelona (Camp Nou and Montjuïc), are the four Spanish cities that have hosted more than 15 national team matches, while also being home to the largest stadiums in the country.

Other friendly matches, as well as qualifying fixtures against smaller opponents, are played in provincial stadia. The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign included matches at the Reino de León in León, Los Cármenes in Granada, El Molinón in Gijón, and the Rico Pérez in Alicante.

Media coverage
Spain's UEFA European Qualifiers and UEFA Nations League matches, are televised nationwide by La 1, flagship television channel of the public broadcaster TVE.

Rivalries
Spain has rivalries with the other four "Europe's Big Five" nations and with their Iberian neighbors.


 * 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 in 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 40 times (of which 11 matches were competitive) which resulted in 17 victories for Spain, 17 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, beginning 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 honours. Spain has the advantage in head-to-head competition with 17 wins, 13 losses and 7 draws.
 * Their rivalry with Italy, sometimes referred to as the Mediterranean Derby, has been contested since 1920. 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. Since the quarter-finals 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. Spain has the advantage in head-to-head competition with 14 wins, 11 losses and 16 draws.
 * Their rivalry with Germany is also one of the oldest at a national level. Germany and Spain have faced each other 27 times, starting with a 2–1 friendly victory for Spain on 12 May 1935 in Cologne. Spain only met a German side for the first time in any competitive fixture in 1966, as part of the 1966 FIFA World Cup, where West Germany (competing separately from East Germany at the time) came back to win 2–1. Since the reunification of Germany in 1990, Spain has remained undefeated in competitive fixtures against Germany, winning the UEFA Euro 2008 final 1–0, the famous 6–0 rout in the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A, and most recently beat Germany 2–1 after extra-time in the UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-finals. The head-to-head result is a tie with 9 wins each and 9 draws.

Results and fixtures
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Current squad
The following 26 players were named in the final squad for UEFA Euro 2024.

Caps and goals updated as of 14 July 2024, after the match against England.

Recent call-ups
The following players have also been called up for the team in the last twelve months.

INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury PRE Preliminary squad / standby

WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue

RET Player retired from the national team

SUS Player is serving suspension

Previous squads

 * World Cup
 * 1934 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 1950 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 1962 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 1966 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 1978 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 1982 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 1986 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 1990 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 1994 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 1998 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 2002 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 2006 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 2010 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 2014 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 2018 FIFA World Cup squad
 * 2022 FIFA World Cup squad
 * European Championship
 * UEFA Euro 1964 squad
 * UEFA Euro 1980 squad
 * UEFA Euro 1984 squad
 * UEFA Euro 1988 squad
 * UEFA Euro 1996 squad
 * UEFA Euro 2000 squad
 * UEFA Euro 2004 squad
 * UEFA Euro 2008 squad
 * UEFA Euro 2012 squad
 * UEFA Euro 2016 squad
 * UEFA Euro 2020 squad
 * UEFA Euro 2024 squad
 * UEFA Nations League Finals
 * 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals squad
 * 2023 UEFA Nations League Finals squad
 * Confederations Cup
 * 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup squad
 * 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup squad
 * Olympic Games
 * 1920 Olympic Games squad
 * 1924 Olympic Games squad
 * 1928 Olympic Games squad

Player records
Sergio Ramos holds the record for most appearances for the Spain's team with 180. In second place is Iker Casillas with 167, followed by Sergio Busquets with 143.

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 second highest goalscorer, scoring 44 goals in 102 appearances between 1996 and 2006.

Most capped players
Below is a list of the ten players with the most caps for Spain,.


 * Players in bold are still active with Spain.

Youngest capped player
 * Lamine Yamal (16 years and 57 days) vs., 8 September 2023

Oldest capped player
 * Jesús Navas (38 years and 231 days) vs. 🇫🇷 france, 9 July 2024

Top goalscorers
Below is a list of the top ten goalscorers for Spain,.

Youngest goalscorer
 * Lamine Yamal (16 years and 57 days) vs., 8 September 2023

Oldest goalscorer
 * Aritz Aduriz (35 years and 274 days) vs. 🇲🇰 macedonia, 12 November 2016

Most goals scored in a single match
 * Chacho (6 goals) vs. 🇧🇬 bulgaria, 13 May 1933

First goal scored
 * Juan Arzuaga vs. 🇫🇷 france, 25 May 1913 (unofficial game)
 * Patricio Arabolaza vs., 28 August 1920 (official game)

Captains
List of Spain's captains in major tournaments.
 * Mariano Arrate (3 caps as captain) was captain during Summer Olympics 1920.
 * Pedro Vallana (5) was captain during Summer Olympics 1924 and Summer Olympics 1928.
 * Ricardo Zamora (24) was captain during World Cup 1934.
 * Ignacio Eizaguirre (4) was captain during World Cup 1950.
 * Joan Segarra (15) was captain during World Cup 1962.
 * Ferran Olivella (10) was captain during European Nations Cup 1964.
 * Francisco Gento (15) was captain during World Cup 1966.
 * Pirri (18) was captain during World Cup 1978.
 * Juan Manuel Asensi (14) was captain during Euro 1980.
 * Luis Arconada (48) was captain during World Cup 1982 and Euro 1984.
 * José Antonio Camacho (24) was captain during World Cup 1986 and Euro 1988.
 * Emilio Butragueño (31) was captain during World Cup 1990.
 * Andoni Zubizarreta (50) was captain during World Cup 1994, Euro 1996 and World Cup 1998.
 * Fernando Hierro (32) was captain during Euro 2000 and World Cup 2002.
 * Raúl (42) was captain during Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006.
 * Iker Casillas (104) was captain during Euro 2008, World Cup 2010, Euro 2012, World Cup 2014 and Euro 2016.
 * Sergio Ramos (54) was captain during World Cup 2018.
 * Sergio Busquets (20) was captain during Euro 2020, Nations League 2021 and World Cup 2022.
 * Jordi Alba (2) was captain during Nations League 2023.
 * Álvaro Morata (7) was captain during Euro 2024.

Manager records

 * Most manager appearances
 * Vicente del Bosque: 114

Team records

 * Most consecutive wins (including friendlies): 15 (2008–2009)
 * Most consecutive wins achieved by an international coach from debut: 13 – Vicente del Bosque
 * Most penalty shoot-outs in one World Cup by one team: 2 at the 2002 FIFA World Cup (shared with 🇦🇷 argentina at the 1990 FIFA World Cup, and  at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, 🇷🇺 russia and  at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and  and 🇦🇷 argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup)
 * Highest maximum number of points in World Cup qualification: 30 out of 30 (2010) (shared with 🇩🇪 germany for 2018)

FIFA World Cup
Although often entering tournaments as one of the favorites, Spain have often been perceived as underachieving at the World Cup. Spain's first World Cup was in 1934. At that World Cup, Spain started their campaign by defeating Brazil 3–1 to advance to the quarter-finals, where they lost to hosts Italy in a replay. Before Spain's success in 2010, their best result came in 1950, where they reached the last four. Spain were paired with the hosts Brazil, as well as Uruguay and Sweden. Spain managed a draw against Uruguay but defeats from Brazil and Sweden meant that Spain would end up in fourth place. At the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa, Spain became world champions for the first time after defeating the Netherlands 1–0 in the final, becoming the eighth country to win the World Cup.

Champions  Runners-up   Third place   Hosts or co-hosts

UEFA European Championship
Spain have won the most UEFA European Championships (four titles). La Roja are also the only nation to date to have won consecutive championships. They have hosted the tournament once, in 1964 (one city was used to host games at Euro 2020) and have appeared in a total of twelve tournaments.

The team won their first international trophy on home soil in 1964, defeating the Soviet Union 2–1. Spain would reach the final twenty years later in 1984, where they would lose the final to France. Spain would not reach the final again until 2008, where they would defeat Germany 1–0. Four years later, Spain earned back-to-back titles, comprehensively defeating Italy 4–0 in the final in Kyiv. It would take La Roja twelve years to reach another European final, doing so in 2024 against England, a match they won 2–1 to stand alone as the most successful national team in the competition's history with four titles while at the same time becoming the first team ever to win all seven matches in a single tournament.

UEFA Nations League
Since the inaugural UEFA Nations League, La Roja have remained in League A and have reached the UEFA Nations League Finals on two occasions. At the 2021 Finals, Spain won their semi-final after defeating Italy 2–1 but lost to France in the final. In the following campaign, La Roja would again reach the final thanks to another win against Italy. Spain would then beat Croatia on penalties after a 0–0 draw.

*Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

FIFA Confederations Cup
Spain made two appearances at the FIFA Confederations Cup. Their first appearance came in 2009 as European champions when they won a third place medal. Spain had lost 2–0 to the United States in the semi-finals. At the next edition, Spain qualified as both World and European champions. La Roja reached the final in Brazil, but lost 3–0 to the hosts.

Major titles

 * FIFA World Cup
 * Champions (1): 2010
 * UEFA European Championship
 * Champions (4):  1964, 2008, 2012, 2024 (record)
 * Runners-up (1): 1984
 * Semi-final (1): 2020
 * UEFA Nations League
 * Champions (1): 2023
 * Runners-up (1): 2021
 * FIFA Confederations Cup
 * Runners-up (1): 2013
 * Third place (1): 2009
 * Olympic Games
 * Silver medal (1): 1920

Awards

 * FIFA Fair Play Trophy
 * Winners (4): 2006, 2010, 2013, 2018
 * FIFA Team of the Year
 * Winners (6): 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
 * Prince of Asturias Award for Sports
 * Winners (1): 2010
 * Laureus World Team of the Year
 * Winners (1): 2011

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