“Spain are the best football team in the world.”

Unbeaten in two years and with a squad packed full of Champions League winners, Spain have reason to hope this summer is the culmination of a rapid rise and the beginning of a spell of dominance.

Martinez Losa was pitchside in Seville as Spain thrashed his Scotland side 8-0 in a World Cup qualifier in November, before a more modest 2-0 Spanish victory in April’s Glasgow return.

“They’re the team that plays the best football in the world. On a conceptual level, they’re far superior to the rest,” he added.

“Spain still need to take that next step, getting to a final and winning it. But at the conceptual level, you can see what they’re capable of doing in any game.”

Yet to perform at a major tournament

For all their promise, Spain’s record at major international tournaments is not an exciting one.

They failed to qualify for three of the past five Euros, and their past two appearances ended in quarter-final defeats.

Meanwhile the first six World Cups came and went without Spain appearing and when they did qualify, in 2015 in Canada, they returned without a win.

In France in 2019, Spain recorded their first – and so far only – World Cup victory by beating South Africa, before losing a tough last-16 match-up with the United States 2-1.

But Spain’s development was highlighted by US manager Jill Ellis calling them the hardest opponents they could have faced.

Spain coach Jorge Vilda took a lot of positives from that match, saying: “We’ve really shown our worth, and given them a run for their money. We have to be really positive. We’re going to keep growing and progressing.”

And progress they certainly did.

Injury set-backs threaten chances

Since that World Cup exit, Spain have only lost once in a competitive match – again against the United States.

That 1-0 defeat in the SheBelieves Cup came in March 2020 – and they have not been beaten since, 23 matches and counting, have only conceded three goals in that period and have averaged more than 4.5 goals per game.

Instrumental to that success has been the ability to call on players from Barcelona, who have reached the Champions League final in three of the past four seasons and were winners in 2021.

“The Spanish team is very different to the one we saw in France in 2019, much better than two or three years ago,” said ex-Barcelona coach Lluis Cortes.

“Spain have improved a lot and Barca have helped them a lot, because the Spanish team have 10 players from Barcelona.”

However, Spain’s hopes of winning their first Euros have been rocked by injuries to two key players.

First, record goalscorer Jennifer Hermoso was ruled out before another huge setback on Tuesday with Alexia Putellas, the reigning holder of the Ballon d’Or, suffering a serious anterior cruciate ligament knee injury.

Cortes said the impact of Putellas’ injury, sustained only three days before Spain’s first game against Finland on Friday, meant Spain could no longer be considered the tournament favourites.

“Without Alexia, the level of the Spanish team has decreased a little… after these two good years she wanted to do something big with the national team. She was awaiting this tournament to win something with Spain,” he said.

“It’s really important she is in the team in terms of leadership. But, without Alexia, maybe Aitana Bonmati, Mariona Caldentey or Patri Guijarro can assume this role. These other players can go one step forward and be very important to this Spanish team in the tournament.”

England and Everton midfielder Izzy Christiansen said the Barcelona influence gave Spain “a psychological threat against any opponent” and the players had “an innate ability to keep the ball and dominate possession”.

But she said they could find it difficult to break down teams without Putellas, adding: “Whoever replaces Putellas has to have that intelligence.”

Comparisons with men’s side but a tough group

Any success for the women’s side will draw comparisons with the men’s team, who did not lose in 35 matches between 2007 and 2009, won the World Cup in 2010 and won the European Championship in both 2008 and 2012.

“In the men’s period when Spain won the Euros and World Cup, it was also the best time for Barca men’s team,” added Cortes. “For Spain’s women, it will be a very good period over the next few years. The coach will benefit from this Barca team.”

However Spain’s first task is negotiating a tricky group which includes two-time World Cup winners Germany, and a Denmark side who were runners up in 2017 and qualified with a 100% record.

Ex-England goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain, who watched Spain finish runners-up to England in February’s Arnold Clark Cup, said they would have to be more ruthless to be successful.

“They struggle to break teams down. You’ve got to be clinical and if Spain want to win the Euros, they’ve got to find a way past that,” she said.

Asked whether Spain were likely to dominate the women’s game, Cortes was also unsure, saying: “I don’t know – it’s not easy. There are some very strong national teams.

“But there are no teams with such a well-defined style of play like Spain. This is the best advantage for them – they know the style and enjoy playing this way.”