More On :  Spain
HOW THEY QUALIFIED

  GROUP I GP W  D  L  GD PTS
1 Spain (Q) 8 8 0 0 20 24
2 Czech Republic (P) 8 4 1 3 4 13
3  Scotland   8 3 2 3 -1 11
4 Lithuania 8 1 2 5 -9 5
5 Liechtenstein 8 1 1 6 -14 4


RESULTS TOP SCORERS
Sep 3, 2010 Liechtenstein 0-4 Spain
Oct 8, 2010 Spain 3-1 Lithuania
Oct 12, 2010 Scotland 2-3 Spain
Mar 25, 2011 Spain 2-1 Czech Republic
Mar 29, 2011 Lithuania 1-3 Spain
Sep 6, 2011: Spain 6-0 Liechtenstein
Oct 7, 2011: Czech Republic 0-2 Spain
Oct 11, 2011: Spain 3-1 Scotland		 7 - David Villa
4 - David Silva
3 - Fernando Llorente
2 - Juan Mata,
Alvaro Negredo, Fernando Torres,
Xavi
1 - Xabi Alonso,
Andres Iniesta,
Sergio Ramos

Spain qualified for Euro 2012 with a 100 per cent record, making it only the fourth time (France for Euro 92 and 2004, and Czech Republic for Euro 2000) that a nation advanced to the finals of the European Championship with a perfect run in the qualifiers.

La Furia Roja's qualification campaign was never in jeopardy, winning six of their eight group matches by more than a one-goal margin. Their biggest scare was against Scotland at Hampden Park when, leading 2-0, they allowed their hosts to pull the game back to 2-2 before Fernando Llorente netted the winner 10 minutes from time.

The following match against the Czech Republic in Granada was the only occasion that Vicente del Bosque's men fell behind throughout the qualifiers.

PAST RECORD IN THE EUROS 

1960
 Withdrew
 1988
 Group stage
1964
 Winners
 1992
 Did not qualify
1968
 Did not qualify
 1996
 Quarter-finals
1972
 Did not qualify 2000
 Quarter-finals
1976
 Did not qualify 2004
 Group stage
1980
 Group stage 2008
 Winners
1984
 Runners-up 2012
 Qualified as group winners

Labelled as perennial underachievers in international football, Spain's only ever senior title prior to 2008 was the 1964 European Championship on home soil when they defeated the Soviet Union 2-1 in the final. By winning the competition again at Euro 2008 in Austria-Switzerland, they became the second most successful nation in the tournament along with France, lagging behind only Germany, who have lifted the Henri Delaunay trophy three times.

Del Bosque's outfit will be only the third team - after Germany and France - to head into a European Championship tournament while simultaneously holding the World Cup and the Euros. In Poland-Ukraine, Spain will attempt to become the first country to successfully defend their European crown.

THE MANAGER | VICENTE DEL BOSQUE


Del Bosque became the most successful coach of all time on debut with a national team when he won his first 13 games in charge. He also helped guide the country to a new record of 15 consecutive wins, and joined Brazil's class of 1993 to 1996 with the longest undefeated run of 33 matches. 

In a combined 18 qualification games for the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, Del Bosque has won all 18. He has only ever lost two competitive encounters: to the United States in the 2009 Confederations Cup and to Switzerland in their opening game of the 2010 World Cup.

In his first 50 games as Spain coach, he has won 42 of them, while drawing two and losing six with 123 goals scored and just 40 conceded in the process.

THE CAPTAIN | IKER CASILLAS


Casillas inherited the Spain arm-band from Raul and in doing so, he became the first goalkeeper to lift the European Championship trophy as skipper in 2008. Two years later in South Africa, he became only the third ever shot-stopper to captain a national team to World Cup glory.

The Real Madrid custodian also holds the honour of being his country's most capped player, eclipsing Andoni Zubizarreta's previous tally of 126 appearances. In addition, he has surpassed the same player to become La Furia Roja's record holder for the most clean sheets in the Spanish national team.

THE STAR PLAYER | XAVI


The Barcelona midfield maestro controls the engine room that keeps the Spain side ticking with his extraordinary vision, passing range, ball control, and an uncanny ability to find gaps to thread passes through the tightest of defences. The deep-lying playmaker has always been hailed as a phenomenal footballer at club level, but he only rose to global prominence when he masterminded his country's path to glory in Euro 2008 and was named Player of the Tournament.

Since then, he has become one of the most consistent footballers today, finishing fifth in the Ballon d'Or awards in 2008, third in 2009 and third again in 2010.

THE EMERGING TALENT | THIAGO ALCANTARA


The Barcelona youngster won his first cap with the senior Spanish national team in August 2011, just two months after helping the Under-21 side to the European Championship where he was named man of the match in the final against Switzerland and player of the tournament.

Thiago plays a similar style of football to his mentor at Barcelona Xavi, although with his Brazilian heritage, he does tend to showcase more flamboyance. Euro 2012 could be his chance to shine in front of a mass worldwide audience in what will be his first ever international tournament for the senior team.

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Top Scorers
Player Goals Penalties
Andrés Iniesta Luján Andrés Iniesta Luján
Midfielder
Spain 		3 0
Roberto Soldado Roberto Soldado
Striker
Spain 		3 0
Santiago Cazorla González Santiago Cazorla González
Midfielder
Spain 		2 1
Xabi Alonso Xabi Alonso
Midfielder
Spain 		1 1
Fernando Torres Fernando Torres
Striker
Spain 		1 0