FCBARCELONA.CAT

27.05.2010 11:54

Barça’s World Cup: Spain (I)

Jesús Carrillo

The eight FC Barcelona players in the Spanish national side will start their campaign on June 16 in Durban against Switzerland. Spain are the top seeds in Group H, and will also face Chile and Honduras.

Though they have never won the trophy before, Spain are one of the hot favourites for glory in South Africa. They were outstanding at Euro 2008 and Del Bosque’s side also powered their way though the qualifying stages for this tournament. The squad of 23 includes no fewer than eight members of the all-conquering Barça team.

Group stages

Neither Valdés nor Pedro have ever made an official appearance for the national team, and will get their first chance against the Swiss in the first match in the group. Spain then switch to Johannesburg, where Honduras await on June 21, and they close the group against another Latin American nation, Chile, in Pretoria on June 25.

FCB’s Sergio Busquets and Gerard Piqué have played for Spain before, but never in a major tournament.

History

Spain have played all three of its group rivals in previous World Cups. They met the Alpine nation in 1968 and 1994, and won both times.

Spain faced Honduras on the only previous occasion that the Central American nation has made it to the final stages. That was in 1982, in Valencia, when despite home advantage, Spain were held to a shock 1-1 draw in their opening match.

It is some time since Spain and Chile last met at a World Cup. That was way back in 1950, when Spain won 2-0.

Possible future rivals

If Spain qualify, they are unlikely to get an easy match in the next round, Some are calling Group G the Group of Death, for it includes Brazil, Portugal, the Ivory Coast and North Korea. Spain will be playing one of the qualifiers from that group in the last sixteen, which looks like being a tough test.