It would normally be expected that the number 10 for a nation like Spain will be ranked higher but such is the quality of La Furia Roja that even one as talented as Thiago Alcantara might not start.
A genuine world-class talent who is blessed with incredible balance and agility that allows him to skip into space and past a marker, Thiago is also capable of playing the long searching balls either in the air on the ground that are the hallmark of all the world’s best registas.
He is most adept at playing long searching balls either in the air or the ground, passes that are unique to the world’s truly elite registas and his ability to retain possession and drive the team forward from deep will be key for a Spanish team that looks set to pass opponents off the pitch.