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Affiliated to FIFA: 1904

FIFA Ranking: 7  

WC Best: Fourth place 1950

After winning 81 caps for his country, Camacho retired in 1989 and initially became part of Real’s coaching team, but successful spells in charge of Rayo Vallecano and Espanol earmarked him as a potential candidate for the international hotseat. 

As ever, there is a strong presence in the squad from Spain’s big two - Real Madrid and Barcelona, but form teams Valencia and Deportivo are also well represented.

Valencia would have had an extra representative, if, just two weeks before the finals, Santiago Canizares hadn't severed a tendon in his toe when he dropped a bottle of aftershave on ther floor and it smashed. Even so, Iker Casillas' splendid cameo performance in the Champions League final may have promoted him to first-choice anyway.

The Spanish defence will make up for any lack of experience on his part. The likes of Fernando Hierro and Miguel Angel Nadal have been around the block a few times – and will be desperate to succeed in what is surely their last World Cup. But Barcelona's experienced left-back Sergi misses out, needing an operation on his left ankle.

Midfielder Gaizka Mendieta has failed to set Serie A alight since last summer’s mega-money move to Lazio, but he remains a key figure for the national side. Alongside him, Real’s Ivan Helguera and the Barcelona duo of Xavi and Luis Enrique will know all about playing in big matches. Deportivo La Coruna playmaker Juan Carlos Valeron has the ability to become one of the stars of the tournament, while Valencia’s Ruben Barraja provides a high-energy, all-action alternative.

Perhaps the greatest responsibility rests on the shoulders of the front two. The Real Madrid strike duo of Fernando Morientes and Raul have been in dazzling form in La Liga this season. If they manage to carry their deadly partnership over the Far East, we could be in for fireworks. However, Deportivo’s £40m-rated Diego Tristan has been banging them in all season and will be pushing Morientes hard for a starting place.

But the key to Spain’s success depends on whether they can overcome their big-tournament demons - otherwise another promising competition will fizzle out into yet another damp squib.

But it could have turned out so different for the 24-year-old, who spent his schoolboy years at city rivals Atletico, before president Jesus Gil y Gil dissolved the youth team to save some money.

With bags of talent and no team to play for, Raul wisely aimed for the top and at seventeen years four months, soon became the youngest ever player in Real’s first-team.

His first Spanish cap followed when he was 19 – and when Spain crashed out of France ’98 at the first hurdle, the more experienced heads rolled and the golden boy of Spanish football became the international side’s star attraction.