Spain?

[Presty On Tour]

2006 Spain World Cup Squad:

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Liverpool), Santiago Canizares (Valencia)

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

Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Jose Antonio Reyes (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Xavi (Barcelona), Joaquin (Real Betis), Luis Garcia (Liverpool), Xabi Alonso (Liverpool), David Albelda (Valencia), Marcos Senna (Villarreal)

Forwards: Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid), Raul (Real Madrid), David Villa (Valencia)

i really think spain this year could go all the way, the squad looks abit short up front though raul, villa and torres are immense you could say if needed reyes and garcia could be pushed to a support striker.

the suprise players left out were morientes and baraja. morientes has struggled all season in scouseland but baraja was a well big surprise having played in most of the qualifying games.

this looks a strong squad on paper mixed with youth and experience with plenty of pace, skill and technique. Spain have had some bad luck in recent years but maybe this year it could all change depending on their attitude.

Edited May 23, 2006 by jansenpresty10@wales

[BRFC4EVA]

Where is Vincente, he is a wonderful winger? I know he is only just coming back from a long term injury but surely he is worth a gamble. Him and Jaoquin on the wings is postitively frightning!

[SKARBELLY]

All teams can afford one or two over-rated players, but Spain has waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many. Joaquin is useless, take it from me. One half decent dribble per game is not positively frightening. Fernando Torres....don't believe everything you read. First up, I doubt he will start as they won't start with three strikers and Raul and David Villa, for different reasons (captain and the in-form Spanish striker) are ahead of him. The defence is suspect, the great Carles Puyol aside, and there is a real lack of bottle in the midfield.

My scars are never wrong and they say quarter finals at best.

[Billy Castell]

Don't know much about Spanish players, but here's a picture of some fans wearing the new away kit !.

[ihtd]

Its not a bad squad but IMO there are many better sides then them in the tournament but saying that should they get on a good run they have the players to win the thing.

[greggyk]

Dont think they have a chance personally. Although nobody thought Germany would do aswell as they did in 2002. But they did have a fantastic keeper and a world beater in their side to carry them. Spain, have neither IMO

[herbergeehh]

Their defence isn't good enough, as mentioned above - Puyol is class, but he doesn't have enough support from his fellow defenders. Ramos is overrated, Salgado is a wingback, whilst del Horno has had a poor season. Also, up front they lack goalscorers, they need a good World Cup from David Villa certainly.. Torres is imo a first class striker, but he won't score enough goals methinks. Xavi, Fabregas and Xabi Alonso are similar players in midfield, they do lack a bit of muscle there - even with the defensive minded Albelda and Senna.

Quarter finals is my guess.

[FourLaneBlue]

Torres is overrated imo and Raul hasn't had a good season. Villa has been knocking in the goals for Valencia and they may end up relying on him.

[herbergeehh]

I think Atletico Madrid might be better off selling Torres, their game relies a bit too much on him doing something extraordinary. I still think he's the next top striker in the right club though, he has all the attributes needed - pace, technique, strength and also good aerial ability, plus leadership qualities. In the WC though, I think Spain will need bags of goals from Villa if they are to get anywhere near a final..

[Rover4ever]

Dont think they have a chance personally. Although nobody thought Germany would do aswell as they did in 2002. But they did have a fantastic keeper and a world beater in their side to carry them. Spain, have neither IMO

Casillas is among the best keepers in the world today.

I agree that Spain dont have a world beater in their side, but by that token, neither does England, Portugal. Italy or Holland.

[SKARBELLY]

Casillas is among the best keepers in the world today.

I agree that Spain dont have a world beater in their side, but by that token, neither does England, Portugal. Italy or Holland.

You are not wrong about Casillas. Can you think of 3 better keepers (without including the other two Spanish keepers, either of whom would be first choice for England). Having said that, Spain will still do nowt.

[herbergeehh]

Buffon, Cech, I'll leave the last one for someone else

For me, Casillas would be third choice in Spain, but Reina lacks a bit of aerial presence whilst Victor does some of the same mistakes that Casillas tends to do. All three first class though.

[neekoy]

Their defence isn't good enough, as mentioned above - Puyol is class, but he doesn't have enough support from his fellow defenders. Ramos is overrated, Salgado is a wingback, whilst del Horno has had a poor season.

Neither of those three will be alongside Puyol. A back four of Lopez, Pablo and Marchena with the others on the bench is very strong.

To me the midfield is along with England probably the strongest of the competition. In saying that they will choke again at the quarter finals, so we at least agree on that.

[herbergeehh]

Fair enough, Pablo and Lopez are both good players. I've never rated Marchena though.. we'll see, I stand by my words - quarter final at most

[greggyk]

Casillas is among the best keepers in the world today.

I agree that Spain dont have a world beater in their side, but by that token, neither does England, Portugal. Italy or Holland.

Well actually, Casillas has been off form for about 2 years now!

And about the world beaters in each team, England have 2 in my eyes (3 if you include Rooney) in Gerrard and Lampard who have the ability to win games on their own. Especially Gerrard.

And Italy certainly have at least one in Totti. (dont listen to those who say he never performes on the big stage), he was fantastic in Euro 2000

While Holland have Van Nistelrooy who will always score!

Agree about Portugal, they wont do anything this year and their best player Deco has been poo this year

[herbergeehh]

Disagree on the latter, he's just had a more defensive role in the Barca team. He runs all day, doesn't lose possession and has clever footwork and passing. I don't think Portugal will perform either, but that's certainly not because of Deco!

[Rovermatt]

Also, up front they lack goalscorers

Raul.

[American]

You're proving the point...

[Rovermatt]

From Wikipedia:

For his country, Raúl scored 42 goals in 92 international matches (as of November 2005). He played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2000, the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and Euro 2004. On 28 September 2005 against Greek power Olympiakos, he became the first player to score 50 goals in UEFA Champions League play (in his 97th match). Raúl is also currently 10th highest goalscorer in the history of Spain's top flight, with 180 goals in 400 games. All of these goals were for Real Madrid, making Raúl the club's third highest goalscorer of all time. This might improve as Raúl is still playing for the club.

Sounds like a goal-scorer to me.

[FourLaneBlue]

Jimmy Greaves sounds like a goalscorer if you read his Wikipedia entry but Raul has still had a poor season, especially by his standards.

[Rovermatt]

Jimmy Greaves doesn't still play. Nor does he captain his club and country. Raul may have had a poor season but he is still a goal-scorer. And a prolific one at that. That was the basis of my argument, rather than him being in good or bad form.

Edited May 26, 2006 by Rovermatt

[FourLaneBlue]

Jimmy Greaves doesn't still play. Nor does he captain, his club and country. Raul may have had a poor season but he is still a goal-scorer. And a prolific one at that. That was the basis of my argument, rather than him being in good or bad form.

Which is a fair point, however I think Spain will have to look for Villa for goals unless Raul suddenly rediscovers the form that has deserted him for the past two seasons.

[American]

Andy Cole has an impressive record in the past, too, but I don't see calls for him to lead the England attack.

And FLB, you're wrong - he's had a couple of bad seasons in a row!

[FourLaneBlue]

Yeah but I can only count to two.

Spain usually flatter to deceive but I don't think they have some quality of squad as they have had in previous tournaments, which may mean it is finally theit job to finally make a decent fist of it.

[Presty On Tour]

raul has had a major injury this season and has missed alot of games, you can't doubt his goal scoring though, in the spanish leagues, europe and international it is immense.

he just hasn't preformed in a major international competition, this year he should be fresh, just maybe could be his tournament, the prince of spain.