Xavi won't get bored of winning

As the man who pulls the strings in the greatest team in the world, when Xavi Hernandez speaks, football sits up and listens and yesterday the Spain midfielder said that he and his team-mates would never grow bored of winning trophies.

"Some people may say it is boring that Spain always win, but for us it's a good thing," said Xavi, who has six La Liga titles, three Champions' League triumphs, two Spanish Cups, a World Cup and a European Championship to his name already. He will win his 115th cap tonight.

"This is a fantastic opportunity and we are really looking forward to making history. We were very lucky to have a great group of footballers. We have created history and we want to carry on making history."

No international team in Europe or South America have ever won three successive major tournaments, but for the likes of Xavi and Iker Casillas, it comes towards the end of a long journey in which they have developed through the junior international levels together.

As for the suggestion that Spain's passing dominance and the absence from their side of a recognised striker was killing games, their coach, Vicente Del Bosque, countered that his team's style was changing all the time. He also said tonight's line-up would be adventurous. "We will play with three attackers, that's for sure," said Del Bosque. "There will be three men in the front who will be responsible for attacking Italy."