Sergio Gallardo

Luis Enrique's  young team shines without big stars

Spain

Spain don’t have the big names of a few years ago, when they won two Euros and a World Cup with players such as Xavi, Iniesta and Villa…

Sergio Busquets is the only current player with over 100 caps.  Only Jordi Alba, with 87 Spain appearances, gets anywhere near him.

Most of the contenders in Qatar boast a major star in their ranks: Brazil have Neymar, Argentina have Lionel Messi, France have Kylian Mbappé…

That’s not the case for Spain, who didn’t have a single player on the 30-man shortlist for the 2022 Ballon d’Or. Nevertheless, La Roja are among the World Cup favourites.

Despite their lack of stars, the  Spanish have reached three straight semi-finals: one at Euro 2020, and two in the UEFA Nations League.

Spain may be short on 'galácticos' right now, but they have a number of hugely exciting youngsters coming through. The likes of Pedri, Gavi, Ansu Fati…

At the Ballon d’Or gala, Gavi scooped the Kopa Trophy ahead of Eduardo Camavinga and Jude Bellingham.  A year earlier, Pedri won it.

Luis Enrique has sought success by making Spain one big family. “I want us to be a team,” he says. La Roja  have no egos, and have different weapons to other countries.