Notching up three back-to-back titles has made Spain's life tougher as they eye qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, their coach Vicente del Bosque said on Wednesday.
No longer having anything to prove is actually a problem for the record-setting winners of Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, their iconic boss underlined.
"We have greater responsibility because of our past titles, and it's going to be more difficult to maintain the competitive spirit among players," del Bosque told reporters after a three-day meeting of European coaches in Warsaw.
"And it is going to cost us more because the opponents are going to prepare their players," he said, with beating or even drawing with Spain having become the benchmark of success.
However, del Bosque insisted, La Furia Roja are treating their campaign to reach the 2014 World Cup no differently from past qualifying runs, and even dream of clinching the trophy again.
"As sports people we will try to qualify," he said.
"We want to go to Brazil and we are going to try to win of course."
Source: AFP
