MX23RW : Wednesday, July 3 19:59:09| >> :120:14003:14003:

Spain midfielder Thiago: 'We are still team to beat'

Spain midfielder Thiago insists that his country are still "the reference" in European football, despite their disappointing showing at the 2014 World Cup.

Spain midfielder Thiago has claimed that La Roja are still "the reference" for teams at Euro 2016, despite their disappointing showing at the 2014 World Cup.

Vicente del Bosque's side failed to make it out of the group stages of last summer's tournament, but they have won each of the last two European Championships and breezed through their qualification group.

"I think Spain are the reference even though Germany won the World Cup. Our rivals are keen to beat Spain. Our challenge is to keep the voracious hunger to win trophies," the Bayern Munich midfielder told Onda Cero.

"It's true we have one of the toughest groups. If we get through the group we'll be on a roll for the next phase. We have very good forwards, the centre of midfield is well-stocked and it's the same in defence."

Spain will continue their preparations for Euro 2016 with a friendly against Italy on Thursday night.

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Head coach Vicente Del Bosque of Spain faces the media during a press conference ahead of their international friendly match against Bolivia at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium on May 29, 2014
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Euro 2024 fixtures header
Friday, July 5
 
5pm
Quarter-Finals
Spain
vs.
Germany
 
8pm
Quarter-Finals
Portugal
vs.
France
Saturday, July 6
 
5pm
Tuesday, July 9
Wednesday, July 10
Sunday, July 14
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Germany Germany32107
Q Switzerland Switzerland31205
3 Hungary Hungary31023
4 Scotland flag Scotland30121

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain33009
Q Italy Italy31114
3 Croatia Croatia30212
4 Albania national flag Albania30121

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England31205
Q Denmark Denmark30303
Q Slovenia Slovenia30303
4 Serbia Serbia30212

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Austria Austria32016
Q France France31205
Q Netherlands Netherlands31114
4 Poland Poland30121

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania31114
Q Belgium Belgium31114
Q Slovakia Slovakia31114
4 Ukraine Ukraine31114

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Turkey Turkey32016
Q Georgia Georgia31114
4 Czech Republic Czech Republic30121


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