Spain. The team most experts (and us) are tipping to win the competition...

In days gone by, Spain was most famous for cruelty to bulls, General Franco, tapas and putting up with obese, alcohol ravaged, lobster-skinned English tourists in the name of making a few pesetas. Now, they are known for, well, all of these things still but you can also add an amazing national team to that list. The Euro 08 champs are aiming to become World Cup winners for the first time in their history. And who can stop them, apart from Brazil or dysentary after a dodgy paella.

Spain
4/1 (Paddy Power)

Nickname
LaFuria

How they qualified...
With absolute ease. They pumped every team in their group, as has been their want for the last three years, beating everyone put before them. Their only defeat was against America in last years Confederations Cup, which was a real shock. Perhaps not as big as the shock the North Korea players will get when they have electrodes attached to their balls for losing all three group games, but certainly a surprise result.

Commentators are most likely to bang on about...
Depressingly, despite the peerless football in front of their very eyes, English commentators are more likely to rattle on about Torres and Fabregras and the 'will they/won't they' stay in the Premier League. Despite the advancements in 3D technology, it's still not possible to put your foot through the TV and boot Clive Tyndsley in the maracas in an attempt to shut him up.

Players you've heard of...
The Spanish squad contains some of the most heralded players in world football, so it's more than likely you are aware of most of them. He may not have as high a profile as some of the others but Barcelona's Iniesta is the man who really makes the team tick. He may look like a permanently surprised elf but he has genius in his size four boots.

A player you can pretend to have heard of...
Jesus Navas. The 24-year-old from Seville is a tricky left winger who can get past a man and deliver dangerous balls into the area. Like his namesake, he is also good at getting onto crosses and the manager has lots of faith in him.

Mental Manager Rating...
During his time in charge of Real Madrid Vicente Del Bosque won, among other things, the Champions League twice. His reward for such a feat? The sack. A more volatile manager, say Maradona or Phil Brown, would have probably tried to torch the place. Big Vince merely shrugged and sauntered of to a job in Turkey. He looks like a sad frog and is unlikely to go bananas during this tournament, no matter what happens.

Chances of hooliganism...
Spanish fans are not known as  fighters. Some, however, are known as dip-shit racists who think it's a great laugh to make monkey noises and 'black' themselves up in the name of fun. Let's hope they don't get lost in a a township, not sure how well their 'humour' would go down there...

If they were a celeb they'd be...
Barak Obama. Always had the potential to do great things but no-one started taking them seriously until two years ago.

How we think they'll do...
El Campeones!