DESPITE nine European Cups won by its top club side Real Madrid, Spain's national team have never even made the semi-finals in 11 appearances at the World Cup. 

Last time out in South Korea was a typical scenario for the Spanish when gritty coach Jose Antonio Camacho's talented line-up lost in the quarter-finals on penalties to the co-hosts. 

Euro 2004 was even more miserable when an arguably more talented and promising side led by Inaki Saez, who had coached much of the unit through the youth and under-21 sides, were squeezed out in the first round by Portugal and Greece. 

For Germany 2006, Spain had to win a play-off against Slovakia after finishing second in the group phase to Serbia and Montenegro. 

But Spain are secretly expecting something different this time out because the coach they've been craving for 20 years, old hand Luis Aragones, known as 'the Sage', has finally deigned to lend the nation his services. 

It wouldn't be Spanish without the flair and his side switches between a 4-4-2 and a 4-3-3 with an emphasis on attack. 

His squad has an average age of around 25, important in an era where long seasons drain the older players, and these youngsters breathed a huge sigh of relief when they hammered Slovakia 5-1 away in the first leg of the play-offs. 

Chief amongst the youngsters is Atletico Madrid captain the striker Fernando Torres, who will still be just 22 out in Germany and is known as El Nino, or The Kid. Liverpool's 2005 Champions League winner the midfield general Xavi Alonso will be 24, while Valencia's highly rated winger Vicente will turn 25 during the tournament. 

In goal at Real Madrid since he was a teeneger, Iker Casillas is just a few months older while his teammate the central defender Sergio Ramos will be just 20 and Arsenal striker Jose Antonio Reyes 22. 

The inspirational Aragones must have smiled when he saw his charges drawn in Group H with the Ukraine, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. An easy ride to the second round would seem a formality. 

If so they stand to meet the runner up of another so-called easy group before a potential clash with either Italy or Brazil in their perennial agonising quarter-final elimination. 

One man desperate to get past that hurdle will be Real Madrid captain Raul. 

“This is the most gifted group I have seen in my nine years with the national side,” he says. 

They'll need all their skills, guts and a healthy dose of luck if they are to finally go all the way, as Raul's club side so often do.