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Spain national football team
World Cup | Group Stage
Jun 13, 2014 at 8pm UK
 
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Javi Martinez targets positive start to World Cup defence

Spain midfielder Javi Martinez believes that making a good start to their World Cup campaign could be pivotal this year.

Javi Martinez has claimed that Spain are desperate to avoid a repeat of the start they made to the World Cup four years ago.

Vicente del Bosque's side lost 1-0 to Switzerland in their opening group game in South Africa before going on to win the tournament, and Martinez believes that it could be important to make a better start against the Netherlands in Group B on Friday.

"After losing our first game last time round, the onus is on us not to do the same thing again," the Bayern Munich midfielder told reporters.

"We showed that it isn't the be-all and end-all in South Africa but getting off to a good start gives you extra confidence, even though we ended up as champions four years ago."

Spain will also meet Chile and Australia in the group stage.

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Barcelona's defender Gerard Pique celebrates after scoring during the Spanish league football match Levante UD vs FC Barcelona at the Ciutat de Valencia Stadium in Valencia on January 19, 2014
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France32016
Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Japan Japan32016
Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
4 Costa Rica flag Costa Rica31023

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Brazil Brazil32016
Q Switzerland Switzerland32016
3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023


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