Spanish Football Team – How Has Spain Performed At The Euros?

• Spain have won the Euros on three occasions

• The Spain Euros squad had several surprises, including the absence of Sergio Ramos

• Although outsiders, the Spanish Football Team is a contender to win Euro 2020

Having been favourites in many recent tournaments, the football odds paint Spain as more of a dark horse at Euro 2020. A new generation of Spanish talent is ready to wreak havoc at this summer’s tournament, however.

The Spain National Team has been through a transition in recent years. The glory days of Andres Iniesta and Xavi are long gone.

While the Spain Euros squad still has plenty of top-tier talent, the names alone do not strike fear into the opponents like previous iterations.

It’s been a mixed bag in pre-tournament Euro 2020 predictions for the Spaniards.

Where attention turns to world champions France and the talented squads of England and Belgium, it would be a mistake to overlook this Spain Euros squad, which possesses a mix of scintillating young players and veterans.

Read below for Spain’s Euros record, squad and statistics…

Spain At The Euros

No team has a better record than Spain at the Euros.

The Euro 2020 odds might not consider Spain as a real challenger, but they have enjoyed three European Championships triumphs, a tally only matched by Germany.

Having reached the final on four occasions, they have won it thrice. Semi-finals are often considered the most painful point to lose in a tournament. Spain have never suffered that fate. They have, however, twice lost in the quarter-finals.

They are also the only team in Euros history to defend their crown, winning the tournament in 2008 and 2012. No other team has played in back-to-back finals since 1996.

Here’s Spain’s complete record at the Euros:

• 1960 – Did not quality

• 1964 – Winners

• 1968 – Did not qualify

• 1972 – Did not qualify

• 1976 – Did not qualify

• 1980 – Group stage

• 1984 – Runners-up

• 1988 – Group stage

• 1992 – Did not qualify 

• 1996 – Quarter-finals

• 2000 – Quarter-finals

• 2004 – Group stage

• 2008 – Winners

• 2012 – Winners

• 2016 – Last 16

Spain Euros Squad

The Spain Euros squad for the 2020 tournament has been controversial. Luis Enrique left out Sergio Ramos, and has overhauled the group in recent months. In an historic decision, Enrique has no Real Madrid players in his final squad.

The former Barcelona manager made some bold calls with young players, too. Barca starlet Pedri got the nod in what is an inexperienced group.

There are 15 players in the squad with 13 or fewer caps, and only four players with 40 or more international appearances. One of those older heads is Sergio Busquets, who will likely miss the start of the tournament.

With UEFA expanding squads to 26 players, Enrique bizarrely opted to name just 24 players. Six other players are in a parallel training bubble, including Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and West Ham midfielder Pablo Fornals.

The 26-man Spain Euros squad for 2020 is as follows:

• Goalkeepers: Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), David de Gea (Manchester United), Robert Sanchez (Brighton)

• Defenders: Jose Gaya (Valencia), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Pau Torres (Villarreal), Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City), Eric Garcia (Manchester City), Diego Llorente (Leeds), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)

• Midfielders: Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona), Thiago (Liverpool), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Fabian (Napoli), Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig), Pablo Sarabia (Paris Saint-Germain)

• Forwards: Gerard Moreno (Villarreal), Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid), Ferran Torres (Manchester City), Adama Traore (Wolves), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad)

Spanish Football Team Top Scorers

Like most nations, the Spanish football team top scorers list is biased towards the last couple of decades. More international football is being played than ever before.

As such, it’s not a surprise to see that the top six players have all played at least some of their career since the turn of the century.

The dominant teams from 2008 and 2012 are well represented with Fernando Torres, David Villa and David Silva all residing in the top three.

Here are the leading Spanish football team scorers of all-time… 

1. David Villa – 59 goals in 98 caps

2. Raul – 44 goals in 102 caps

3. Fernando Torres – 38 goals in 110 caps

4. David Silva – 35 goals in 125 caps

5. Fernando Hierro – 29 goals in 89 caps

6. Fernando Morientes – 27 goals in 47 caps

7. Emilio Butragueno – 26 goals in 69 caps

8. Alfredo di Stefano – 23 goals in 31 caps

9. Sergio Ramos – 23 goals in 180 caps

10. Julio Salinas – 22 goals in 56 caps

Spain National Team Most Caps

Just like the goal scoring list, the most capped Spanish National Team players are from the modern era. Only one player in the top 10 played before 2000.

Some are still relevant in Spanish football betting. Others have hung up their boots in the last few seasons.

It’s a group littered with European and world champions, of players who defined an era of not just Spanish football, but of the sport as a whole. Here are the most capped Spanish players of all-time…

• Sergio Ramos – 180 caps

• Iker Casillas – 167 caps

• Xavi – 133 caps

• Andres Iniesta – 131 caps

• Andoni Zubizarreta – 126 caps

• David Silva – 125 caps

• Sergio Busquets – 123 caps

• Xabi Alonso – 114 caps

• Cesc Fabregas – 110 caps

• Fernando Torres – 110 caps

Most Euros Games For Spain National Team

Restructuring the tournament has altered European Championships records. Once again, it means a bias to players from the last 20 years or so. This, of course, also coincides with Spain’s most successful period.

Of the 12 players with 15 or more Euros appearances, four are Spanish. Cesc Fabregas and Andres Iniesta just pip their teammates in this category with 16 Euros appearances apiece.

Sergio Ramos and David Silva have each played in 15 Euros matches. Being left out of the Spain Euros squad means Ramos will not be climbing the list in 2021.

He could have overtaken Bastian Schweinsteiger, Gianluigi Buffon, Lilian Thuram and Edwin van der Sar as well as his former teammates.

Most Euros Goals For Spanish Football Team

Despite so much success in the European Championships, only 11 Spaniards have scored more than once in the Euros. Fernando Torres and David Villa unsurprisingly lead the way in this category with five and four goals respectively.

Villa was top scorer at Euro 2008, while Torres was tied with several others for Golden Boot honours four years later.

Alfonso, David Silva, Cesc Fabregas and Alvaro Morata have scored three goals in the Euros each.

Although he sits second in Spain’s all-time scoring charts, Raul only found the net once at the European Championships in seven appearances. 

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Victor R. Caivano / AP Photo*