Spain go for historic win in WCup quarterfinals

Faithful: Spain's supporters shout and sing during a training session in Potchefstroom, South Africa, Friday. Spain will face Paraguay in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. – AP/Daniel Ochoa de Olza

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque believes his players are ready to make history: They can start by winning a World Cup quarterfinal for the first time.

Surprisingly, Spain have never advanced to a semifinal match at a World Cup in four opportunities between 1934 and 2002.

Standing in its way at Johannesburg's Ellis Park on Saturday is a resolute Paraguay team that is the most successful ever sent to a World Cup from the South American nation.

"We know we're in good shape," del Bosque said Thursday. "It's been more than 30 days together training as a team and I think these players want to make history."

Spain have once reached the last four at a World Cup, at the quirky 1950 tournament when just 13 teams showed up in Brazil and the four group winners advanced to a round-robin pool to decide the honors.

When the World Cup format has used a knockout bracket, Spain have always been stopped at the quarterfinals stage.

Spain lost to South Korea on penalties after a goalless draw in a 2002 matchup remembered for disputed referee calls, and Roberto Baggio lifted Italy to a 2-1 victory in 1994. In 1986, Belgium prevailed in a shootout after a 1-1 draw, and 1934 host Italy ousted the Spanish 1-0 in a replay.

Del Bosque would not be drawn to suggest the European champions have a golden chance to break the streak, and earn a final four tie against Argentina or Germany.

"If you had to choose one of the other seven who reached the quarterfinals, I don't know which one would be the easiest," he said.

"Paraguay, like all of the South American teams, show so much character, with players who exercise great pressure. They are players who know their trade, with the ball or without and they have a similar style to Chile, who we already know about."