by GIANFRANCO PANIZO
Spain has named its 23-man roster for the Confederations Cup and the team is as stacked as ever.
The European champions' roster includes Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol, all of which played last week when Barcelona blanked Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League final. Spain has also summoned Sergio Ramos, Fernando Torres and Iker Casillas to try and capture the Confederations Cup.
One player not on the roster is injured midfielder Marcos Senna, who starred for Spain in the European Championships.
Here is Spain's full roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jose Reina (Liverpool), Diego Lopez (Villarreal);
Defenders (7): Raul Albiol (Valencia), Alvaro Arbeloa (Liverpool ), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid),
Midfielders (9): Xabi Alonso, (Liverpool), Sergi Busquets (Barcelona), Santi Cazorla (Villarreal), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Xavi (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), David Silva (Valencia), Juan Manuel Mata (Valencia), Albert Riera (Liverpool);
Forwards (4): Daniel Guiza (Fenerbache), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), David Villa (Valencia).
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What do you think of Spain's roster? Any omissions/inclusions you are surprised by? Think the U.S. has a chance against the European champs if the two teams meet in the knockout rounds?
Share your thoughts below.
These comments are funny as s***!!!!
Had me laughing out loud the entire time I was reading them. I think Spain could just take all of the Spaniards from Barcelona’s squad and still make a decent run for the trophy.
But as supsam pointed out, with our rock solid quartet of a defense Villa, Torres, Xavi and Iniesta stand no chance!!!
damn that was piss funny lol
with this kind of sqaud, i say, JUST GIVE THEM THE TROPHY, go USA, but still they got no chance against ESPANA.
Spain has now displaced Brazil as my second favorite team. Viva espania!!!
What are you guys worried about? We got our top clubs sending their best as well!!!
The forward tandem of Altidore (kinda Villareal)and Ching (THEEE Housten Dynamo)is as intimidating as it gets. The perfect fusion of the physicality of MLS with the technical aspects of La LIga. Its going to be beautiful!
The midfield presence of Bradley(Monchycrunchy)and Mastroeni(C.Rapids)will destroy anything Fiberglass, Ch-cha-xa-avi, and Incestttta can conjure up (thats if they have the guts to take the field after seeing our starting XI)
Oh and who can forget our beast defenders! Onyewu(Leige),Blackmouth(Rennes), Hey-im -so-cool-duk (C.Crew-they win the MLS Cup and no spaniard can boast about that)and who can forget best of all: We have either a Rostock reserve or a up and coming Chivas USA starter in Pearce and Bornstein. Did I mention that Chivas USA is in sizzling hot form right now!! Owch thats hot!
Then we have Howard as a keeper. Hello! If he can shut out Argentina with what seemed like no defensive presence, he obviously will shut out anything Spain comes with (and thats assuming they get past our rock solid defense. For crying out loud, Gooch has a beard!! he is wiser than before!)
Remember folks, Spain plays with players from only the most prestigious clubs. Their players only care about nice cars,women, money, and ego. We of the US of A have players who will die for us and HARD WORK cannot be overcome. I repeat, HEART and COMMITMENT CANNOT BE OVERCOME.
We shall prevail.
I think i will send this to Bob Bradley to read to the boys before we play against Spain in the final. :]
fenel:
You must be kidding yourself if you think last year’s game, in which Spain was playing at 35 % capacity, really means anything in the scheme of things.
You’re probably one of those who thinks the 0-0 against Argentina last summer somehow proves something.
I’d be severely embarrased if Bob Bradley sends his boys out to bunker in all three of the Confeds Cups games.
I hope our players don’t look at this roster and crap in their shorts like our “fans” seem to be doing. Sheesh guys. Grow a pair. Yes it’s maybe the best squad in the world, but let’s not hand them the damn cup just yet.
The only possible issue with Spain is how tired or injured Xavi and Iniesta might be after a long campaign. Although I think Torres is the best striker in the world not named Eto’o, Xavi and Iniesta are the two players that seperate Spain (and Barca) from everyone else at the moment. All those Spain-Barca players haven’t lost anything important in a really long time…
Good to see FOUR Liverpool players!
Remember Spain only beat the USA 1-0 with all these players last summer before the euro cup. So all is not lost.
Good lord.
Remember Portugal 2002.
Let’s go U.S.A.
I think if they are put up against a team playing the same enlightened tactics Chelsea played against Barca, this Spanish team can be just as easily frustrated and possibly beaten – the Italian “style” of play for example.
Spain could bring in their third-string waterboys and still beat Iraq and New Zealand.
Spain’s ‘A’ team against those countries? Like swatting a fly with a Buick. Sheesh.
That is a very nice looking team. They will have the same problems that came up in the European Champions, who do they play in midfield? Because you have to start Villa and Torres that leaves them 4 spots in the midfield with about 8 guys deserving. This same problem didn’t deter them last year and I doubt it will this time around
As for Valdes, he is not that great. He is a good goalkeeper, but he does not make huge saves, is incredibly shaky in the air, and flubs the ball way too often. He happens to play for the best team in europe that controls the ball for 75% of the game so no one ever gets a good crack at him.
and as Van de Sar said, “suffering”.
What’s the story with Victor Valdes and the Spanish National Team? It’s crazy that the guy has never gotten a cap.
my prediction….Pain
Luckily, Spain fears Adu.
They probably have the most quality 2-way midfielders in the world
the question is who gets the nod for attacking Midfield?
what about defensive midfield?
will it be:
1) Xavi, Iniesta & Busquets?
2) Xabi Alonso, Iniesta & Busquets?
3) Xabi A, Iniesta & Busquets?
4) [fill in your preference]
will Cesc Fabregas be a winger this time around?
Spain and England are the two teams that you should bet against when it comes to the World Cup…They are classic chokers! Until they prove me wrong, I am sticking to my guns that Spain will not be in the World Cup Finals, especially if they are ranked #1 going into South Africa.
On paper, this Spanish team looks damm good though.
WOW! That list is like a who’s who in world football. We’re gonna get creamed if we have to face them.
Yes, Senna has been hurt this spring…and it showed for Villarreal.
Yep, Spain are loaded and have to be the 2010 favorites.
A couple points.
1) Though they are a bit older, the omissions of Raul Gonzalez and Senna jump out.
2) A tad thin at forward (after Torres and Villa, of course).
3) Is that midfield a joke? Even w/out Senna, we have: Xavi, Iniesta, Fabergas, Alonso, and Sliva. Geesh.
I cant wait for the teams “black face” picture like the basketball did for Bejing with their fingers slanting eyes…
Glad Llorente got the call up. Can’t wait for this tourney to start!
What a squad! However, if we have learned anything from a certain final that went down a few days ago…you still have to play the games. BUT I’d take my chances with that side six days of the week and twice on Sundays.
Really Spain? Is this necessary?
Don’t you guys know that the world wants a US-New Zealand final? I guess this means that we’re gonna have to bring out the “BIG GUNS” (i.e. Brian Ching).
I’m looking forward to us not scoring a goal in this tournament…
Really Spain? Is this necessary?
Don’t you guys know that the world wants a US-New Zealand final? I guess this means that we’re gonn have to bring out the “BIG GUNS” (i.e. Brian Ching).
I’m looking forward to us not scoring a goal in this tournament…
Am I the only one who thinks this may make Brazil and Italy also bring their A teams?
That would make for one hell of a competition.
With Spain’s opponents being South Africa, Iraq and New Zealand: I will set the over/under on goals in group play at 10 and take the over.
It’s scary to think that team is going to play New Zealand with it’s quartet of fringe MLS players.
Oh cool, so our worst nightmare then. Great.
not fair.
goodness. they’re going to win the 2010 WC in style.
love the squad, so fun to watch. can’t wait.
not sure raul should be on the squad anymore, but i do miss him playing w/the team.
we are f*cked
I bet there’s a forward who’s probably number 50 on their depth chart that could be a star for us
The image I get is from Animal House, where Kevin Bacon is grabbing his ankles as he gets his a** paddled. THANK SIR, MAY I HAVE ANOTHER!!!!
I hope we have to opportunity to get whalloped 4-1 by Spain.
they’re okay….
damn we can somehow get 2nd spot, we’ll probably face spain in semi. Playing against Italy, Brazil and Spain will do the boys alot of goods.
of course, I mean after we dispatch Brazil, Italy and Egypt, but hopefully everyone assumed those facts.
There’s a distinct lack of quality in the Spain midfield that I believe Pablo Mastroeni can take advantage of.
All bow and genuflect…What a squad.
Forgive my ignorance, is Marcos Senna hurt?
This still looks like the winning team, and the clear favorite for 2010 as well. Xavi and Iniesta feeding Villa and Torres, it doesn’t get much better than that.
The US still has a much better chance of winning the Confed Cup than the World Cup, call it a puncher’s chance.
copy the picture up top & post it again after the tournament
Sergi Bousquets also played in Barca’s victory.
i predict a spain-italy final
very excited for this tournament… with tim howard in the goal, we always have a chance… not a good chance against that roster, but a chance.
tim will have to play like he did against argentina (or any number of great games he has played)
First! omission: Raul Gonzalez