Spain national football team
Men's national football team representing Spain / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Spain men's national football team (Spanish: Selección Española de Fútbol) has represented Spain in international men's football competitions since 1920. It is governed by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain.
Nickname(s) | La Roja (The Red) La Furia Roja (The Red Fury)[1] | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) | ||
Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
Head coach | Luis de la Fuente | ||
Captain | Álvaro Morata | ||
Most caps | Sergio Ramos (180)[2] | ||
Top scorer | David Villa (59) | ||
Home stadium | Various | ||
FIFA code | ESP | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 10 (21 September 2023)[3] | ||
Highest | 1 (July 2008 – June 2009, October 2009 – March 2010, July 2010 – July 2011, October 2011 – July 2014) | ||
Lowest | 25 (March 1998) | ||
First international | |||
Spain 1–0 Denmark (Antwerp, Belgium; 28 August 1920) | |||
Biggest win | |||
Spain 13–0 Bulgaria (Madrid, Spain; 22 August 1933) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
Italy 7–1 Spain (Amsterdam, Netherlands; 4 June 1928) | |||
World Cup | |||
Appearances | 16 (first in 1934) | ||
Best result | Champions (2010) | ||
European Championship | |||
Appearances | 11 (first in 1964) | ||
Best result | Champions (1964, 2008, 2012) | ||
Nations League Finals | |||
Appearances | 2 (first in 2021) | ||
Best result | Champions (2023) | ||
FIFA Confederations Cup | |||
Appearances | 2 (first in 2009) | ||
Best result | Runners-up (2013) | ||
Medal record |
Spain is one of eight national teams to have been crowned world champions and have participated in a total of 16 of 22 FIFA World Cups, also qualifying consistently since 1978. Spain have won three continental titles during their appearances of 11 out of 16 UEFA European Championships. Spain currently competes in League A of the UEFA Nations League alongside the other top teams of Europe. Their best result was in the 2022–23 season where they reached the final, winning against Croatia.
Spain's achievements from 2008–2012 have led many experts and commentators to consider this era's Spain squads one of the best ever teams in football history.[4][5][6][7][8] During this period, Spain became the only 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 in 2010.[9] From 2008 to 2013, Spain won the FIFA Team of the Year, the second-most of any nation, behind only Brazil.[10] 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 sport record at the time. Spain along with France are the only two European countries to have won the triplete (World Cup, Euro, Nations League). Spain is one of only two nations to have won both the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup (the other being Germany).