Raul can fire Spain to glory (Allsport).

PAIN IN SPAIN CAN FINALLY END

By James Dart

Group B fixtures:

June 3: Spain v Slovenia - Gwangju 1230.

June 8: Spain v Paraguay - Jeonju 1000.

June 13: Spain v S Africa - Daejeon 1230.

World Cup pedigree:

You probably don't need me to tell you that Spain are the biggest under-achievers in World Cup history.

Time after time, feted as a leading contender to go all the way, the Spanish have failed to live up to the billing.

From their 11 outings in the finals, a fourth-place finish in 1950 is their best showing, and their first-round exit at France '98 typified their continual disappointments.

They are surely the best country never to have lifted the Jules Rimet trophy.

Recent form:

Jose Antonio Camacho's side were always expected to win their qualifying group and they did so with ease, beating off Austria, Israel, Bosnia and Liechenstein without losing a game - winning six and drawing two to be precise.

Recent friendlies have seen a 1-0 loss at non-qualifiers Holland and a 5-0 thumping of Northern Ireland in Belfast.

Favourites' chance?:

Sighs of relief could be heard all over Spain when they landed Group B, arguably the easiest qualifying section in the entire finals.

Slovenia, Paraguay and South Africa will provide the opposition for Camacho's men and none of the three ought to scare the Spaniards.

The opener against the 300/1 Slovenian outsiders in Guangju should provide their stiffest test, and fans will remember Spain's thrilling opening 3-2 defeat against Nigeria in France.

However, Slovenia only made the finals by beating Romania in a play-off and they don't possess the same kind of talent to provide Spain with too much trouble.

Paraguay will be up next, but anyone who witnessed their tepid performance in the 4-0 defeat by England won't fancy their chances too much.

Two opening wins should have taken Camacho's side through by this stage, but a final win over South Africa - highly-disappointing at the African Nations Cup - should see them advance with a 100 per cent record.

This would then set up a second round clash against the runners-up in Group G, probably either Germany, Cameroon or the Republic of Ireland.

And with Spain in the easier half of the knockout draw, quarter-final and then semi-final clashes with Portugal and Italy could follow.

FANCY A BET ON SPAIN?

Fixed-odds verdict

Someone asked me about six months ago who my fancies for the finals were and 'Spain' was my reply. I see no reason to change my viewpoint at this stage.

Obviously the finals record of Spain immediately turns many people away from backing them, but I just feel that this will be their year.

Talent oozes from every department of their squad and it is no coincidence that the Spanish Primera Liga has probably become the leading league in the world over the past 12 months.

Those fancying a punt on Spain to win Group B will have to be pretty big hitters given their general best price of 8/15 - the shortest price of any team to win their group.

Hills acknowledge the threat they pose, making them just 6/1 for glory, but Stanley, Bet365, Bet247 and UKBetting all go longer at a the best available odds of 10/1.

One of the reasons why Spain have such a solid shout of glory is their stunning strikeforce of Raul, Fernando Morientes and Diego Tristan.

The former duo, both of Real Madrid, are the more likely to start in the finals, and are generally 12/1 and 20/1 respectively to top the scoring sheets come the end of the tournament.

Tristan, meanwhile, is a 28/1 chance with SportingOdds and Bet365, and probably worth avoiding, but both Raul and Morientes will attract a lot of interest.

Spreads verdict:

Despite my confidence in Spanish success this summer, it would be foolish to completely ignore their past World Cup finals pedigree. And with quotes that require them to reach the last-eight at worst to make a profit, keep your focus on the fixed front just in case.

BEST BET:

Spain to win the World Cup at 10/1 (Stanley, Bet365, Bet247 and UKBetting)