[11] One year before, 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 record for the sport at the time.

[13] Spain qualified for their first FIFA World Cup in 1934, defeating Brazil in their first game and losing in a replay to the hosts and eventual champions Italy in the quarter-finals.

[16] Spain won its first major international title when it hosted the 1964 European Nations' Cup, defeating the Soviet Union 2–1 in the final at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

[20] In the 2002 World Cup, Spain won its three group play matches, then defeated the Republic of Ireland on penalties in the second round.

They faced co-hosts South Korea in the quarter-finals, losing in a shootout after having two goals controversially called back for alleged infractions during regular and extra time.

[nb 1] The following year the side finished third at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup breaking their 35-match unbeaten streak that began in November 2006 after a loss to the United States.

[5] They became the first team to retain the European Championship, winning the final 4–0 against Italy, while Fernando Torres won the Golden Boot for top scorer of the tournament.

[27] At Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, the side reached the last 16 in both tournaments, losing to Italy 2–0 and Russia 4–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw.

[28][29] In the UEFA Euro 2020, held in 2021 after COVID-19 pandemic caused delays, Spain made a breakthrough, reaching the last four of a major tournament for the first time since 2012, before losing to eventual champions Italy 4–2 on penalties after a 1–1 draw.

[32] Spain finished top of their group in UEFA Euro 2024 without conceding a goal, and went on to defeat Georgia in the round of 16 by 4–1.

[33][34] They eventually eliminated hosts Germany in the quarter-finals with a 2–1 win and defeated France in the semi-finals with the same result, qualifying for their fifth European Championships final.

[44] The style involves roaming movement and positional interchange amongst midfielders, moving the ball in intricate patterns,[45] and sharp, one or two-touch passing.

[46] Tiki-taka is "both defensive and offensive in equal measure" – the team is always in possession, so doesn't need to switch between defending and attacking.

[47] Commentators have contrasted tiki-taka with "Route One physicality"[42] and with the higher-tempo passing of Barcelona and Arsène Wenger's 2007–08 Arsenal side, which employed Cesc Fàbregas as the only channel between defence and attack.

[7][5][6] They have the Barcelona "carousel" of Xavi and Andrés Iniesta augmented by Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso in midfield.Sid Lowe identifies Luis Aragonés' tempering of tiki-taka with pragmatism as a key factor in Spain's success in Euro 2008.

Aragonés used tiki-taka to "protect a defense that appeared suspect [...], maintain possession and dominate games" without taking the style to "evangelical extremes".

[44] For Lowe, Spain's success in the 2010 World Cup was evidence of the meeting of two traditions in Spanish football: the "powerful, aggressive, direct" style that earned the silver medal-winning 1920 Antwerp Olympic team the nickname La furia española ('The Spanish Fury') and the tiki-taka style of the contemporary Spain's team, which focused on a collective, short-passing, technical and possession-based game.

For Honigstein, tiki-taka is "a significant upgrade" of the Netherlands' Total Football because it relies on ball movement rather than players switching position.

Rather than displaying the logo of the Spanish Football Federation, Spain's jersey traditionally features the country's coat of arms over the left side.

The capital city of Madrid (Bernabéu and Metropolitano), Seville (Pizjuán, Villamarín and La Cartuja), Valencia (Mestalla and Orriols) and Barcelona (Camp Nou and Montjuïc), are the four Spanish cities that have hosted more than 15 national team matches, while also being home to the largest stadiums in the country.

Win Draw Loss Fixture The following 26[note 1] players were named in the final squad for 2024–25 UEFA Nations League matches against Denmark and Switzerland on 15 and 18 November 2024, respectively.

At that World Cup, Spain started their campaign by defeating Brazil 3–1 to advance to the quarter-finals, where they lost to hosts Italy in a replay.

[111][112] Champions    Runners-up    Third place     Hosts or co-hosts Spain have won the most UEFA European Championships (four titles).

Where they are scheduled to face Argentina, the reigning champions of the 2024 Copa America Spain made two appearances at the FIFA Confederations Cup.