For generations Spain were the nearly men of world football - breathtakingly talented but failing to find form at the right time. Expectations came to a head in 1982 when Spain hosted the World Cup, only for them to crash out in the second round. Fast forward to 2012 and they are more than making up for lost time. Since finally shaking off the underachievers tag with a trophy clinching performance at Euro 2008, the silverware has not stopped coming for La Roja, who followed their achievements in Austria and Switzerland with a World Cup win two years later in South Africa and the Euro 2012 title in Ukraine and Poland four years on, becoming the first team to win three international tournaments in a row. Even more impressive, their success was defined not by the steely resiliance of Europe's previous dominant forces, Italy and Germany, but by a quick passing style - 'tiki taka,' as it became known to the world - that was as entertaining to watch as it was impossible to play against.
