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68-613: (Redirected from La Riera ) Riera may refer to: People [ edit ] Albert Riera (b. 1982), a Spanish retired footballer Arnau Riera (b. 1981), a Spanish retired footballer Carme Riera (b. 1948), a Spanish novelist and essayist Fernando Riera (1920 - 2010), a Chilean former football player and manager Gabi Riera , an Andorran football player Joaquin Riera (b. 1994), an Argentine rugby player Julia Riera (b. 2002), an Argentine tennis player Marieta Riera (b. 1963),

136-436: A penalty shootout defeat to Belgium . Also at UEFA Euro 1984 , they lost the final against France . Spain reached the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup . The match became controversial when Italian defender Mauro Tassotti struck Luis Enrique with his elbow inside Spain's penalty area, causing Luis Enrique to bleed profusely from his nose and mouth, but it was not noticed nor sanctioned by referee Sándor Puhl . Had

204-579: A 0–0 draw, to be the third consecutive elimination from a major tournament in penalty shootouts. Spain finished top of their group in UEFA Euro 2024 without conceding a goal, and went on to defeat Georgia in the round of 16 by 4–1. They eventually eliminated hosts Germany in the quarter-finals with a 2–1 win and defeated France in the semi-finals with the same result, qualifying for their fifth European Championships final. Spain won their record-breaking fourth European title by defeating England 2–1 in

272-480: A 2–1 loss at Racing de Santander , and scored his first goal on 27 May by coming off the bench to conclude a 4–0 home win over Rayo Vallecano that secured a UEFA Champions League place. He totalled 17 games and three goals in his first two seasons. In the 2002–03 campaign , already an undisputed starter, Riera helped the local team to the conquest of the Copa del Rey , and scored four league goals in 35 games. In

340-659: A 5–0 away defeat against Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League second qualifying round , being eliminated 6–1 on aggregate; this was the club's heaviest defeat in European competitions, and also the manager's joint-heaviest in that role. Riera's younger brother, Sito , is also a footballer. He too represented Espanyol, but only their reserves . In 2009, Riera married Julia Koroleva, fathering three children with his Russian bride. He moved to Omsk in Siberia , where he set up

408-537: A FIFA World Cup finals. Spain won its first major international title when it hosted the 1964 European Nations' Cup , defeating the Soviet Union 2–1 in the final at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium . The victory would stand as Spain's lone major title for 44 years. Spain was selected as host of the 1982 FIFA World Cup , reaching the second round and four years later they reached the quarter-finals before

476-509: A January 2006 loan move to Manchester City where he was also unable to establish himself, scoring his only goal against Newcastle United in a 3–0 home win on 1 February. Riera returned to Catalonia prior to 2006–07 . During that season, Espanyol reached the final of the UEFA Cup at Hampden Park , Glasgow, where they played fellow Spaniards Sevilla ; he scored to level the game at 1–1, but his team eventually lost 3–1 on penalties . At

544-430: A Venezuelan former athlete who specialised in the javelin throw Micaela Riera (b. 1991), an Argentine actress Nicolás Riera (b. 1985), an Argentine actor Oriol Riera (b. 1986), Spanish former footballer and current assistant manager Rodrigo Riera (1923 – 1999), a Venezuelan guitarist and composer Sito Riera (b. 1987), a Spanish footballer Teresa Riera (b. 1950), a Spanish politician and Member of

612-611: A football academy. Mallorca Espanyol Olympiacos Galatasaray Spain Olimpija Ljubljana Spain national football team The Spain national football team ( Spanish : Selección Española de Fútbol ) has represented Spain in men's international football competitions since 1920. It is governed by the Royal Spanish Football Federation , the governing body for football in Spain . Spain

680-449: A key factor in Spain's success in Euro 2008. Aragonés used tiki-taka to "protect a defense that appeared suspect [...], maintain possession and dominate games" without taking the style to "evangelical extremes". None of Spain's first six goals in the tournament came from tiki-taka: five came from direct breaks and one from a set play. For Lowe, Spain's success in the 2010 World Cup was evidence of

748-458: A replay to the hosts and eventual champions Italy in the quarter-finals. The Spanish Civil War and World War II prevented Spain from playing any competitive matches between the 1934 World Cup and the 1950 edition's qualifiers . At the 1950 finals in Brazil, they topped their group to progress to the finals round, then finished in fourth place. Until 2010, this had been Spain's highest finish in

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816-516: A salary of around €2.5 million per season; he became one of the most expensive transfers in the country's history, as he reunited with former Espanyol manager Ernesto Valverde . Riera scored his first goal against Kerkyra in a 2–0 home win, and appeared in 28 competitive matches during the season as the Piraeus team won the Super League Greece . On 3 September 2011, Riera completed

884-489: A team that would represent Spain at the 1920 Summer Olympics held in Belgium in that same year. Spain made their debut at the tournament on 28 August 1920 against Denmark , silver medalists at the last two Olympic tournaments. Spain managed to win that match by a scoreline of 1–0, eventually finishing with the silver medal. Spain qualified for their first FIFA World Cup in 1934, defeating Brazil in their first game and losing in

952-520: A €3 million move to Turkish side Galatasaray , signing a four-year deal. He scored his first goal in the Süper Lig on 25 January 2012 in a 4–0 home defeat of Ankaragücü , and was an habitual first-choice in his first season as the Istanbul -based team won the national championship; he was also involved, however, in a punching session with teammate Felipe Melo just before the playoffs started. Following

1020-499: Is Iker Casillas with 167, followed by Sergio Busquets with 143. David Villa holds the title of Spain's highest goalscorer, scoring 59 goals from 2005 to 2017, during which time he played for Spain on 98 occasions. Raúl González is the second highest goalscorer, scoring 44 goals in 102 appearances between 1996 and 2006. Below is a list of the ten players with the most caps for Spain, as of 15 November 2024 . Youngest capped player Oldest capped player Below

1088-405: Is "both defensive and offensive in equal measure" – the team is always in possession, so doesn't need to switch between defending and attacking. Commentators have contrasted tiki-taka with " Route One physicality" and with the higher-tempo passing of Barcelona and Arsène Wenger 's 2007–08 Arsenal side, which employed Cesc Fàbregas as the only channel between defence and attack. Tiki-taka

1156-526: Is a Spanish professional football manager and former player who is the manager of Slovenian PrvaLiga club Celje . He played as a left winger , and also as a left-back . He made a name for himself at Espanyol (with whom he won a Copa del Rey and reached the 2007 UEFA Cup final ) and also played professionally in France, England, Greece, Turkey, Italy and Slovenia, notably spending three years with Galatasaray . Riera won 16 caps for Spain , representing

1224-432: Is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.    Win    Draw    Loss    Fixture The following 26 players were named in the final squad for 2024–25 UEFA Nations League matches against Denmark and Switzerland on 15 and 18 November 2024, respectively. Caps and goals updated as of 18 November 2024, after

1292-453: Is a list of the top ten goalscorers for Spain, as of 18 November 2024 . Youngest goalscorer Oldest goalscorer Most goals scored in a single match First goal scored List of Spain's captains in major tournaments. Although often entering tournaments as one of the favorites, Spain have often been perceived as underachieving at the World Cup. Spain's first World Cup

1360-666: Is associated with flair, creativity, and touch, but can also be taken to a "slow, directionless extreme" that sacrifices effectiveness for aesthetics. Tiki-taka was successfully employed by Spain to win Euro 2008 , the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 . The 2008–12 teams are regarded as being among the greatest of international teams in football history. They have the Barcelona "carousel" of Xavi and Andrés Iniesta augmented by Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso in midfield. Sid Lowe identifies Luis Aragonés ' tempering of tiki-taka with pragmatism as

1428-438: Is one of eight national teams to have been crowned world champions and has participated in a total of 16 out of 22 FIFA World Cups , winning the 2010 edition, and qualifying consistently since 1978. Spain has participated in a total of 12 out of 17 UEFA European Championships , and are the reigning European champions, having won a record fourth title in 2024 . After their victory in the 2023 UEFA Nations League they became

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1496-498: Is predominantly yellow, having been white traditionally. The color of the home socks started to alter throughout the 1990s from black to the same blue color as the shorts, then matching either the blue of the shorts or the red of the shirt until the mid-2010s when they returned to their traditional black. Spain's kits have been produced by manufacturers including Adidas (from 1981 until 1983), Le Coq Sportif (from 1984 until 1990) and Adidas once again (since 1991). Rather than displaying

1564-602: The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup breaking their 35-match unbeaten streak that began in November 2006 after a loss to the United States . In the 2010 World Cup , Spain advanced to the final for the first time ever by defeating Germany 1–0. In the decisive match against the Netherlands , Andrés Iniesta scored the match's only goal, coming in extra time. Spain became the third team to win a World Cup outside their own continent, and

1632-486: The 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa, Spain became world champions for the first time after defeating the Netherlands 1–0 in the final, becoming the eighth country to win the World Cup.   Champions      Runners-up      Third place        Hosts or co-hosts Spain have won the most UEFA European Championships (four titles). La Roja are also

1700-535: The Nef Stadium to work alongside compatriot Domènec Torrent . On 4 July 2022, Riera returned to the Slovenian top tier when he was appointed manager of Olimpija Ljubljana . He was forced out of his first press conference by Olimpija ultras , Green Dragons , unhappy with the dismissal of predecessor Robert Prosinečki . He made his debut three days later at home to Differdange 03 in the first qualifying round of

1768-587: The Rico Pérez in Alicante . Spain's UEFA Nations League , UEFA European Qualifiers and all friendly matches, are televised nationwide by La 1 , flagship television channel of the public broadcaster TVE . Spain has rivalries with the five countries that has faced more times, the other four « Europe's Big Five » nations and with its Iberian neighbor. In order by number of matches, Italy (41), Portugal (40), France (37), England (28) and Germany (27). The following

1836-532: The UEFA Europa Conference League , drawing 1–1, and requiring extra time in the second leg to advance through the tie. His team began the league season on 14 July with a 2–0 home win over Mura , followed by a further seven victories for the club's best start since 1994. Riera eventually led Olimpija to the national championship, clinching their first title since 2018 after defeating archrivals Maribor 2–0 with five rounds to go. He completed

1904-548: The double after defeating Maribor in the Slovenian Cup with a 130th-minute penalty kick by Timi Max Elšnik . For his achievements, he was named Manager of the Year ; however, at the ceremony, he announced that he had not been offered a new deal and would leave after his contract expired at the end of May. On 20 July 2023, two days before the start of the new season , Riera was officially unveiled as manager of Celje also in

1972-466: The final and became the first and only team to win all seven matches in a single European Championship tournament. They also set a new record of 15 goals scored in a single European Championship. Spain's team was known in the past by some fans as " La furia española ", ' the Spanish Fury ' ; this nickname was originally given by a Dutch newspaper, recalling the " Sack of Antwerp " – an episode in

2040-458: The 2010 World Cup , Raphael Honigstein described Spain's tiki-taka style as "the most difficult version of football possible: an uncompromising passing game, coupled with intense, high pressing". For Honigstein, tiki-taka is "a significant upgrade" of the Netherlands' Total Football because it relies on ball movement rather than players switching position. Tiki-taka allowed Spain to "control both

2108-516: The 3–1 victory at PSV Eindhoven in the group stage of the Champions League. Riera netted Liverpool's first goal of 2009, and also scored in the third round in the FA Cup on 3 January, against Preston North End . Later during that season he scored against Aston Villa in a 5–0 home rout on 22 March 2009, through a half-volley after Pepe Reina 's long goal kick . On 18 March 2010, Riera

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2176-811: The European Parliament Places [ edit ] La Riera, Cangas de Onís , in Asturias, Spain La Riera de Gaià , in Catalonia La Riera (Colunga) , in Asturias, Spain Sa Riera , in Catalonia Other [ edit ] Palacio del Marqués de Casa Riera , a former palace in Madrid Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with

2244-558: The FIFA Confederations Cup. Their first appearance came in 2009 as European champions when they won a third place medal. Spain had lost 2–0 to the United States in the semi-finals. At the next edition, Spain qualified as both World and European champions. La Roja reached the final in Brazil, but lost 3–0 to the hosts. Spain made their debut at the 1920 Summer Olympics , where they played their first ever international match,

2312-474: The Slovenian top tier. On his debut three days later, his team drew 2–2 at Aluminij . He left the club, who however topped the table after 11 rounds, on 11 October. He totalled 17 matches, notably knocking out Portugal's Vitória de Guimarães in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League . A day after leaving Celje, Riera became the new manager of Bordeaux – now in Ligue 2 – returning to

2380-640: The arrival of prospect Nordin Amrabat for the 2012–13 campaign , Riera was reconverted by manager Fatih Terim into an attacking left-back , mainly due to the lack of options in the position other than injury-prone Hakan Balta . On 28 January 2014, he agreed to have his contract terminated for €750,000 and left the Ali Sami Yen Stadium . On 24 March 2014, Riera signed a pre-contract with Italian side Udinese , effective as of 1 July. Three days later, he joined Football League Championship 's Watford until

2448-425: The back of the net through short passing and movement", a "short passing style in which the ball is worked carefully through various channels", and a "nonsensical phrase that has come to mean short passing, patience and possession above all else". The style involves roaming movement and positional interchange amongst midfielders , moving the ball in intricate patterns, and sharp, one or two-touch passing. Tiki-taka

2516-408: The ball and the opponent". Spain held possession of ball more than their opponents in all matches from 2008 to 2024, a record of 136 games. We have the same idea as each other. Keep the ball, create movement around and off the ball, get in the spaces to cause danger. Spain's home kit is traditionally a red jersey with yellow trim, dark blue shorts, and black socks, whilst their current away kit

2584-503: The best ever teams in football history. During this period, Spain became the first national team to win three consecutive major titles , including two back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012 , while becoming the first European team to win a World Cup held outside of Europe. Also in this period from 2008 to 2013, Spain won the FIFA Team of the Year , the second-most of any nation, behind only Brazil . One year before, from

2652-617: The box in a 3–1 away win. However, he failed to make the final cut for the final stages, where the nation won the tournament. Riera was again called to the squad in October 2008 for two 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after Sevilla's Diego Capel withdrew with an injury, and played 12 minutes in a 3–0 victory in Estonia . In the following year, on 1 April, he netted a last-minute winner in Turkey (2–1). Manager Vicente del Bosque named Riera in

2720-483: The club 18 years after his playing tenure and signing a contract until June 2025. His debut on 21 October was a 2–0 loss at Angers . Riera led his team to a 12th-place finish . However, Bordeaux were administratively relegated to the Championnat National and declared bankruptcy before the start of the new season. Riera returned to Celje on 29 July 2024, on a two-year deal. Just one day later, he oversaw

2788-565: The country as he joined Koper until June 2018 shortly after. He joined the team also as an assistant sporting director , and made one brief appearance against Primorje in the first game of the second half of the season; he was then suspended from training and his contract was cancelled unilaterally in July 2016. Riera made his debut for the Spain national team on 13 October 2007 in an UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Denmark , and scored from outside

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2856-414: The end of the season . Riera scored his first and only goal for Watford on 19 April 2014, in the 3–1 home win over Ipswich Town . He had an extended run until late in the month, when he was sent off for two bookable offences in a 3–1 loss at Charlton Athletic after a high challenge on Diego Poyet . After the match, he was charged by The Football Association for improper conduct, having confronted

2924-486: The end of the campaign, he extended his contract until 2011. On 1 September 2008 (transfer deadline day), Riera signed a four-year deal with Liverpool for a fee of £ 8 million, being given the number 11 shirt. He made his Premier League debut on the 13th, playing 71 minutes of a 2–1 home win against Manchester United , and scored his first goal for the Reds as they beat Wigan Athletic 3–2 on 18 October, adding another in

2992-463: The final again until 2008 , where they would defeat Germany 1–0. Four years later, Spain earned back-to-back titles, comprehensively defeating Italy 4–0 in the final in Kyiv. It would take La Roja twelve years to reach another European final, doing so in 2024 against England , a match they won 2–1 to stand alone as the most successful national team in the competition's history with four titles while at

3060-417: The final thanks to another win against Italy. Spain would then beat Croatia on penalties after a 0–0 draw. *Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out . After winning their record fourth European title, Spain qualified to their first ever Intercontinental cup. Where they are scheduled to face Argentina, the reigning champions of the 2024 Copa America Spain made two appearances at

3128-532: The first European team to do so. They then qualified for UEFA Euro 2012 , finishing on top of Group I with a perfect 100% record. They became the first team to retain the European Championship, winning the final 4–0 against Italy, while Fernando Torres won the Golden Boot for top scorer of the tournament. Spain advanced to the final of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup , losing to hosts Brazil, and

3196-433: The first time since 2012, before losing to eventual champions Italy 4–2 on penalties after a 1–1 draw. The team finished the tournament with two wins and four draws (including two penalty shootouts). The same year they managed to reach the 2021 UEFA Nations League final , losing against France. In the 2022 World Cup , Spain finished second in their group, then in the round of 16, they lost to Morocco 3–0 on penalties after

3264-455: The following 5 March, after agreeing to a one-and-a-half-year deal. In May, he was subjected to disciplinary proceedings after claiming he would not appear again for the team as long as Miquel Soler was the manager. On 11 September 2015, Slovenian sports newspaper Ekipa reported that Riera would sign a contract with Zavrč . Three days later, he was officially presented. Riera terminated his contract on 22 January 2016, but remained in

3332-400: The following year they were eliminated from the group stage of the 2014 World Cup . At Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup , the side reached the last 16 in both tournaments, losing to Italy 2–0 and Russia 4–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw. In the UEFA Euro 2020 , held in 2021 after COVID-19 pandemic caused delays, Spain made a breakthrough, reaching the last four of a major tournament for

3400-608: The four Spanish cities that have hosted more than 15 national team matches , while also being home to the largest stadiums in the country. Other friendly matches, as well as qualifying fixtures against smaller opponents, are played in provincial stadia. The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign included matches at the Reino de León in León , Los Cármenes in Granada , El Molinón in Gijón , and

3468-620: The logo of the Spanish Football Federation, Spain's jersey traditionally features the country's coat of arms over the left side. After winning the 2010 World Cup , the World Cup winners badge was added to the right side of the jersey and a golden star at the top of Spain's coat of arms. Spain does not have a designated national stadium . The capital city of Madrid ( Bernabéu and Metropolitano ), Seville ( Pizjuán , Villamarín and La Cartuja ), Valencia ( Mestalla and Orriols ) and Barcelona ( Camp Nou and Montjuïc ), are

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3536-439: The match against Switzerland . The following players have also been called up for the team in the last twelve months. Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury Preliminary squad / standby Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue Player retired from the national team Player is serving suspension Sergio Ramos holds the record for most appearances for the Spain's team with 180. In second place

3604-464: The meeting of two traditions in Spanish football: the "powerful, aggressive, direct" style that earned the silver medal-winning 1920 Antwerp Olympic team the nickname La furia española ( ' The Spanish Fury ' ) and the tiki-taka style of the contemporary Spain's team, which focused on a collective, short-passing, technical and possession-based game. Analyzing Spain's semi-final victory over Germany at

3672-469: The military history of Spain. More modernly, the team is called " La roja ", ' the Red (squad) ' . Between 2008 and 2012, the team played a style of football dubbed 'tiki-taka', a systems approach to football founded upon the ideal of team unity and a comprehensive understanding in the geometry of space on a football field. Tiki-taka has been variously described as "a style of play based on making your way to

3740-588: The nation at the 2009 Confederations Cup . He began managing in 2022, leading Olimpija Ljubljana to the Slovenian PrvaLiga title and cup for a double in his first season . Born in Manacor , Balearic Islands , Riera started his professional career with hometown club Mallorca . He made his first-team debut on 25 February 2001 under Luis Aragonés in La Liga , as a 71st-minute substitute for Lluís Carreras in

3808-566: The official awarded a foul, Spain would have received a penalty kick. In the 2002 World Cup , Spain won its three group play matches, then defeated the Republic of Ireland on penalties in the second round. They faced co-hosts South Korea in the quarter-finals, losing in a shootout after having two goals controversially called back for alleged infractions during regular and extra time. At UEFA Euro 2008 , Spain won all their games in Group D . Italy were

3876-412: The officials and having to be dragged away by his team-mates; he was given a two-match ban although only one remained to end the campaign, and he subsequently returned to Udinese. On 29 November 2014, Riera was sacked by Udinese for attending a poker tournament rather than reporting to play against Chievo , also taking to Twitter to insult the organisation. He returned to his first club Mallorca

3944-442: The only nation to date to have won consecutive championships. They have hosted the tournament once, in 1964 (one city was used to host games at Euro 2020 ) and have appeared in a total of twelve tournaments. The team won their first international trophy on home soil in 1964, defeating the Soviet Union 2–1. Spain would reach the final twenty years later in 1984 , where they would lose the final to France . Spain would not reach

4012-420: The opponents in the quarter-finals match , which Spain won 4–2 on penalties. They then met Russia again in the semi-finals, beating them 3–0. In the final , Spain defeated Germany 1–0, with Fernando Torres scoring the only goal of the game. This was Spain's first major title since the 1964 European Championship. Xavi was awarded the player of the tournament. The following year the side finished third at

4080-519: The same time becoming the first team ever to win all seven matches in a single tournament. Since the inaugural UEFA Nations League , La Roja have remained in League A and have reached the UEFA Nations League Finals on two occasions. At the 2021 Finals , Spain won their semi-final after defeating Italy 2–1 but lost to France in the final. In the following campaign, La Roja would again reach

4148-530: The second national team, following France , to win three major titles (World Cup, European Championship and Nations League ). Spain is also one of only two nations alongside Germany , to have won both women's and men's World Cups. Having won one World Cup , one Nations League and three European Championship titles since 2008, Spain is the most successful European national team of the 21st century. The team's achievements from 2008 to 2012 have led many experts and commentators to consider this era's squads one of

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4216-507: The squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup , and he made four appearances for the third-placed team. Riera officially announced his retirement from football on 24 January 2018, through a social media post portraying himself having literally hung up his boots on a tree. He obtained a UEFA Pro Licence in 2019, and in August of the following year he returned to Galatasaray to be an assistant coach to Fatih Terim. In January 2022, he went back to

4284-423: The start of 2007 to the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup , Spain achieved 35 consecutive undefeated matches, a feat which they shared with Brazil, and a record for the sport at the time. Spain has been a member of FIFA since its founding in 1904, even though the Spanish Football Federation was first established in 1909. The first Spain national football team was constituted in 1920, with the main objective of finding

4352-481: The summer of 2003, Riera moved to Bordeaux . He made 66 competitive appearances for the Ligue 1 side over a two-year spell, netting nine times; this included five in a run to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in his first season before elimination by eventual winners Valencia . Riera returned to Spain in 2005, when he signed for Espanyol . In his first season he played only eight league matches, prompting

4420-484: The title Riera . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Riera&oldid=1217959250 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Albert Riera Albert Riera Ortega (born 15 April 1982)

4488-459: Was announced that Liverpool had accepted a £6 million bid from CSKA for the player; however, it appeared to be solely rumours, any interest was officially denied – additionally, the player's agent, Ángel Castells, confirmed that only Spartak had made a proposal. On 23 July 2010, Riera joined Olympiacos on a four-year contract. The deal was reported to be worth around € 6 million (€4 million plus another potential €2 million in bonuses), with

4556-459: Was in 1934 . At that World Cup, Spain started their campaign by defeating Brazil 3–1 to advance to the quarter-finals, where they lost to hosts Italy in a replay. Before Spain's success in 2010, their best result came in 1950, where they reached the last four. Spain were paired with the hosts Brazil, as well as Uruguay and Sweden. Spain managed a draw against Uruguay but defeats from Brazil and Sweden meant that Spain would end up in fourth place. At

4624-421: Was suspended after comments made to the Spanish press regarding his first team opportunities and the approach of manager Rafael Benítez . The player was quoted as saying: "He's never sorted out a situation with a player by talking with him." He was transfer listed following the comments, with Russian clubs CSKA Moscow and Spartak Moscow thought to be interested in a permanent move. On the 23rd of that month it

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