Spain at World Cup 2022: Squad, Schedule & Results

La Roja has been the winner of the 2010 edition of the prestigious tournament.

Although Spain had a fair share of World Cup qualification, they have been the showpiece's consistent participation since 1978. Since 2006, they have produced the best players in their history, who propelled Spain to its first-ever World Cup victory in 2010, becoming the first European country to achieve this feat outside of Europe.

The Spain squad from 2008 to 2012 was hailed as one of the most fearsome sides that dominated international events.

However, they experienced a setback when the players retired. The appointment of Luis Enrique and the restoration of team togetherness, as well as the emergence of young players, is a positive indication for the country.

Since taking over as coach, Enrique has led the national team to the semi-finals and finals of two major competitions.

Now, Qatar is another vital competition to see how well Spain has fared, and with Germany in their group, it will be clear whether Spain is ready to take the World Cup by fire.

Luis Enrique has selected players according to his tactics. 

The former Barcelona manager has been slammed for prioritizing Barcelona players, with many fans accusing him of favouritism. Although Luis Enrique exclusively selects players who can fit into his playing method, he may still select decent players who can offer entertaining football.

Sergio Ramos' withdrawal was a surprise, considering the 36-year-old had made a fantastic comeback after an injury-plagued season last term.

Qualification 

Spain breezed through their qualification group games against Sweden, Georgia, Greece, and Kosovo. Despite defeat against Sweden, Spain won the group with 19 points, four points ahead of Sweden, after drawing once and winning six games.

Spain is planted in Group E. 

Spain and Germany will play a high-quality encounter, while Spain should win over Japan and Costa Rica. They can also finish first if players remain motivated and capitalize on Germany's vulnerabilities.

The Germans have underperformed this season, with Hansi Flick still trying to put together the team and players unable to perform under his tutelage. Spain can exploit if Germany fails to show composure as they will be able to avoid a tough opponent in round 16. The squad of Spanish national team can be found here.

Spain World Cup Schedule:

November 23, 2022, Wednesday 

Spain vs Costa Rica |Group E| 9:30 IST, 5 pm CET, 4 pm GMT, 11 am EST 

November 28, 2022, Monday 

Spain vs Germany |Group E| 12:30 am IST, 8 pm CET, 7 pm GMT, 2 pm EST 

December 2, 2022, Friday 

Spain vs Japan |Group E| 12:30 am IST, 8 pm CET, 7 pm GMT, 2 pm EST