Six classic clashes between Spain and Germany
Germany are 32 years without a win on Spanish soil. On Tuesday, the two European heavyweights meet in a classic tussle in Vigo. Here are six of the best encounters at major championship finals.
The last win in Spain
Germany's last victory in Spain was at the 1982 World Cup. In Madrid, against a ferocious and partisan home crowd, West Germany battled through to win 2-1. The magic little frontman Pierre Littbarski opened the scoring, before Klaus Fischer added a second. Jesus Zamora's late goal proved only to be a consolation.
Pain in Paris
West Germany, as tournament holders, were expected to sweep Spain aside at Euro 1984. Harald Schumacher saved a Spanish spot-kick, but the team in red would eventually strike the painful blow in stoppage time. Germany failed to defend properly and Antonio Maceda headed in the winner to send the holders home at the second round stage.
Ruthless Rudi serves up revenge
Back on home soil, Rudi Völler struck two goals to hand a tough dose of revenge for the previous defeat. Spain went out - one stage earlier - and West Germany marched on. Both goals for Franz Beckenbauer's team were pretty class, too: first, a back-heel from Matthäus set up Völler, before a sweet second to overturn the misery from 1984.
All square in Chicago
A draw would be a fair outcome at some point considering the toing-and-froing. At the 1994 World Cup in the USA, Spain took the lead in 14 minutes, Goikoetxea scoring. But Jürgen Klinsmann was regularly Germany's talisman; the son of a baker levelling to secure a point as Germany competed as a unified nation after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Torres, goal, goodnight Vienna
This would be the start of Spain's best-ever team, the making of a generation. Fernando Torres lofts the ball over Jens Lehmann and Spain collect their first major trophy since the 1964 European Championships. Germany, however, wouldn't be the same either as the building blocks were put in place for future triumphs.
Puyol fires Spain towards the top prize
Sure enough, Spain and Germany met again at the 2010 World Cup. La Roja, however, weren't to be messed with in the semi-finals. Ironically, given all of the lavishing praise heaped on the passing masters in midfield, defender Carles Puyol ruthlessly headed in from a corner-kick to send the Spanish team towards their first-ever World Cup win.