World Cup champion Spain begins the long road to defending its European Championship title when it plays Liechtenstein in a qualifying match on Friday.
Nearly two months after lifting the World Cup trophy in South Africa, Spain returns to the competition that helped it shed the underachiever tag that long followed it until the 1-0 triumph over Germany in the Vienna final in 2008.
The Group I match at the Rheinpark stadium in Vaduz is expected to be straightforward against an opponent ranked 141st and which has never come close to beating Spain in four previous meetings - losing by a combined 13-0 score.
But Spain, which is only the third nation to hold both the world and European titles simultaneously, knows the price of overconfidence following their opening World Cup match - a 1-0 defeat to Switzerland.
"The most important thing now is to forget what we've done and start again from zero," striker Fernando Llorente said. "We need to play with the same humility that we've showed up to now."
Spain's first game following the 1-0 World Cup final win over the Netherlands was a 1-1 friendly draw at Mexico when most of the team was just returning from holidays and hadn't even trained yet.
"It's always hard at the start of a new season - you start focusing on your club and then suddenly you have to prepare for two games playing for your country, one of them a qualifier against a weaker side," striker Fernando Torres said. "(But) if we want to qualify for the European championship then we have to win this type of games."
Spain is expected to start its 2012 campaign in the pocket-sized principality with an emphatic win as it has most of its World Cup squad available.
Defender Carles Puyol was dropped at the last minute because of an injury, with Ignacio Monreal recalled to take the Barcelona captain's place. Sergio Ramos or Carlos Marchena are expected to fill his spot at center back with Alvaro Arbeloa replacing Ramos at fullback.
Andres Iniesta, who scored the winning goal against the Dutch, abandoned Wednesday's training with pain in his right ankle, but has traveled with the team. Torres and David Villa are likely to lead the attack with Villa needing one goal to match Raul Gonzalez's record 44 goals for Spain.
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson hoped Spain coach Vicente del Bosque would rest Torres, but that appears unlikely.
"The game will be a good test for everyone involved. It is always good to start with a win, with goals, and with all three points," Torres said. "The group isn't as simple as some people have made it out to be, but we are confident we can win it."
The Czech Republic, Lithuania and Scotland are also in Group I.
Liechtenstein will need an upset of epic proportions to overcome the world champions, who have won 50 of their last 56 matches and lost only twice since November 2006.
Since first taking part in Euro qualifying for the 1996 finals, Liechtenstein has only won three times - all at home. And coach Hans-Peter Zaugg's squad is without a victory in 19 games, including friendlies.
Spain follows with a friendly against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Tuesday when Liechtenstein plays in Scotland.
