Spain drop the cojones in order to pick up cups

Where once under-achieving Spanish players were more virility and machismo than style and substance, now they go in search of a hat-trick of major tournament titles.

Author Jimmy Burns traces the origins of their transformation.

It seems difficult to believe now, but Spain’s 3-2 defeat to Northern Ireland in Belfast in September 2006 was no great shock. The result fit with the image of a Spanish team with some decent players, which looked good on paper, but could fall apart unexpectedly at any time.