World Cup ’94 : WORLD CUP USA ’94 / GROUP C PREVIEW : Spain at a Glance
* COACH: Javier Clemente.
* KEY PLAYERS: Andoni Zubizarreta, Julen Guerrero, Julio Salinas.
* STRENGTHS: Spain’s 22 players are drawn entirely from the Spanish League, including nine from FC Barcelona, so the players know each other well. Goalkeeper Zubizarreta has vast experience and is Spain’s all-time leader in international appearances with 86. Guerrero, 20, is the team’s future star, a midfielder of exceptional skill in both setting up plays and finishing them. Salinas is a striker who can’t keep his place on the Barcelona team yet scores goals with regularity for the national team.
* WEAKNESSES: Difficult to pinpoint on a team noted more for its industrious nature than for any outstanding quality. Zubizarreta recently was fired by Barcelona, which might inspire him to prove the club wrong or might have shattered his confidence. If Clemente is too cautious and does not give the rising stars a chance to shine, Spain will look ordinary.
* WORLD CUP HISTORY: Eight previous appearances. Record of 13-12-7. Best finish was fourth place in 1950.
* LITTLE-KNOWN FACT: Spain has lost only two matches since Clemente took charge in 1992--to European champion Denmark and, surprisingly, to Croatia.
* OUTLOOK: Neither Bolivia nor South Korea should pose any major difficulty in the first round and Spain should reach the last 16 with ease.
* PREDICTED FIRST-ROUND FINISH: Second.
ROSTER
No. Name Position 1 Andoni Zubizarreta Goalkeeper 13 Santiago Canizares Goalkeeper 22 Julen Lopetegui Goalkeeper 2 Albert Ferrer Defender 3 Jorge Otero Defender 4 Francisco Camarasa Defender 5 Abelardo Fernandez Defender 12 Sergi Barjuan Defender 17 Salvador (Voro) Gonzalez Defender 18 Rafael Alkorta Defender 6 Fernando Hierro Midfielder 7 Juan Antonio Goikoetxea Midfielder 8 Julen Guerrero Midfielder 9 Josep Guardiola Midfielder 10 Jose Maria Bakero Midfielder 11 Aitor Beguiristain Midfielder 15 Jose Luis Perez Caminero Midfielder 20 Miguel Angel Nadal Midfielder 14 Juan (Juanele) Castano Forward 16 Felipe Minambres Forward 19 Julio Salinas Forward 21 Luis Enrique Martinez Forward
