Tuesday 1 January 2013 08:54, UK
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque acknowledges his side cannot afford to get too wrapped up in their past glories if they want to continue their international domination in the future.
Del Bosque also hopes to add another piece of silverware to Spain's growing trophy cabinet this summer when they compete in the Confederations Cup in Brazil, a competition he says they are treating with "the utmost respect and great enthusiasm" and is the source of invaluable information ahead of the World Cup. He said: "It's an event Spain have only been in once, where you need to be continental champions to take part. "The Confederations Cup is interesting. It served Spain very well to take part (in 2009) and then go on to win the 2010 World Cup. We knew the stadiums, the atmosphere, the conditions and also the difficulties of a tournament which simulated the World Cup format. "Losing to the United States in the 2009 Confederations Cup (semi-finals) was a lesson which helped us wise up in 2010. In the end, these experiences helped us in the World Cup. "I hope we can once again take advantage of the next Confederations Cup, which we will go to to compete with the best and with the intention of winning."
