Can perennial under-achievers Spain finally justify their wealth of talent with a victory at this championship?
Aragones' men make fantastic start with 4-1 demolition of Russia
Can perennial under-achievers Spain finally justify their wealth of talent with a victory at this championship?
It certainly seems they can, given the way front-pairing David Villa and Fernando Torres combined to help dispatch Russia 4-1 in their Group D opener on Tuesday.
But have we seen it all before? Remember Spain won all three of their group games - scoring the joint most goals on the way - at the 2006 World Cup, only to go out 3-1 to France in the last 16 round.
And back in the 2002 World Cup, they again got maximum points in their group before beating the Republic of Ireland on penalties in the last 16 but losing to South Korea on penalties in the quarters.
And at the last European championships in 2004, they went out at the group stages after beating Russia in their first game but subsequently drawing with Greece and losing to Portugal.
So history says the jury is very much still out, but they certainly have a real handful upfront with Villa, who scored a superb hat-trick, and Liverpool striker Torres - a real live-wire before he was replaced early in the second period.
Earning his 50th cap, Torres sprung to life in the eighth minute with a good run on the right flank before cutting inside to shoot, but his effort went wide of the right post.
Opening goal
Then in the 20th minute he set up the opening goal for Villa, who had to simply tap-in.
The Russians, who qualified ahead of woeful England, were missing their creative genius Andrei Arshavin - who is out suspended until the last group game - and it showed.
But they responded well to going a goal behind, with Konstatin Zurianov hitting the post in the 22nd minute, and Roman Pavluchenko then hit the cross-bar following a free-kick in the 42nd minute.
But the Spaniards deservedly doubled their lead just before half-time when Villa added his second on 44 minutes with a great shot past Akinfeev after getting onto a fine Andreas Iniesta through-ball.
The striker then netted a deserved hat-trick on 75 minutes with a great turn and strike which sets him up nicely to become the tournament's top scorer.
Late consolation
But fair play to Russia, they kept going and netted a late consolation via Pavluchenko on 86 minutes.
But the Spaniards were not to be denied and Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas, who had come on to replace Torres, scored his first goal for his country in the dying seconds with a diving header.
Liverpool's Xabi Alonso - linked with a move to Juventus - came off the bench in the 77th minute to play his part in the victory, but Merseyside team-mates Jose Reina and Alvaro Arbeloa failed to make an appearance given the Spaniards' wealth of talent.
So back to the big question - can the Spaniards do it? If Villa and Torres stay fit they must surely have a good chance of going all the way and repeating their solitary 1964 success in this tournament.
