Atletico Madrid captain Fernando Torres has turned on Spanish fans, claiming they care more about their clubs than the national team.
Ahead of today's big match against Ukraine, Torres declared: "We may have to do it without the whole nation behind us - that's the sad truth.
"In Spain, we have a great league . . . so great that for many supporters only the clubs matter.
"They go to see Barcelona, Real Madrid and Valencia and to watch Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Beckham and Aimar and many more. It spoils them.
"So, when Spain play and those wonderful foreigners are not available, people switch off. They do not seem able to separate their club loyalties from their patriotism.
"Plus, of course, there are parts of Spain where the national team doesn't matter. In the Basque area and in Catalonia, many people have NEVER seen us play.
"It's hard for people from other countries to believe but we will have cities where nobody will watch us against the Ukraine."
But Torres insists the men Luis Aragones sends out today will be 100 per cent Spanish no matter where they come from. He said: "The players are totally involved, be they from Madrid, Bilbao, Barcelona, wherever.
"We all know the national team is ALL that matters because what you do with your country makes you a greater or a less player. You can win all the medals there are with your club but very few people lift prizes at international level."
Ahead of today's big match against Ukraine, Torres declared: "We may have to do it without the whole nation behind us - that's the sad truth.
"In Spain, we have a great league . . . so great that for many supporters only the clubs matter.
"They go to see Barcelona, Real Madrid and Valencia and to watch Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Beckham and Aimar and many more. It spoils them.
"So, when Spain play and those wonderful foreigners are not available, people switch off. They do not seem able to separate their club loyalties from their patriotism.
"Plus, of course, there are parts of Spain where the national team doesn't matter. In the Basque area and in Catalonia, many people have NEVER seen us play.
"It's hard for people from other countries to believe but we will have cities where nobody will watch us against the Ukraine."
But Torres insists the men Luis Aragones sends out today will be 100 per cent Spanish no matter where they come from. He said: "The players are totally involved, be they from Madrid, Bilbao, Barcelona, wherever.
"We all know the national team is ALL that matters because what you do with your country makes you a greater or a less player. You can win all the medals there are with your club but very few people lift prizes at international level."
