Spain have one of the strongest squads of players available to any country playing in Russia this summer.
Many of the understudies of Spain's World Cup and two time European Championship winning side have developed into stars in their own right - Koke, Isco, Saul and David Silva are far beyond their under-appreciated status of four years ago - and there is a fantastic blend of experience, determination and invention.
Andres Iniesta is captain, Sergio Ramos is a cynical, brilliant winner and Julen Lopetegui has them playing some brilliant football. So, how will Spain get the most out of this fantastic crop of players?
Spain's likely formation
Lopetegui plays either a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. The full-backs get forward, the centre-backs come up for set-pieces, Sergio Busquets is the bridge between defence and midfield and the rest of the team share the remaining positions, swapping and switching places fluidly.
With players like Thiago, Iniesta, David Silva and Isco, it makes sense to play a possession-based game, and Spain build patiently until they have the opposition pinned back in their own half, before firing those quick one-twos that are the undoing of so many a defence.
Occasionally they line up without a striker and allow a combination of number 10s to work in the space left behind, but Iago Aspas, Rodrigo and Diego Costa offer something different, providing a killer blow to the gentle jabbing of Spain's passing.
Having a number nine
Diego Costa is a snarling, determined defensive forward - the kind Spain need when they aren't able to tap their way through and around opponents, while Iago Aspas and Rodrigo are cunning, quick strikers who like to run off the shoulder of the last man. All three players give Spain the chance to hit longer, more direct passes and prevent them becoming tedious and predictable.
It's unclear which of the three will start at the World Cup, but it seems certain that Lopetegui will prefer a number nine to the false-nine system he occasionally uses.
Iniesta's pass here in the 6-1 win over Argentina is a perfect example of why - without a number nine, he cannot make the same pass and have to play it short, slowing the move down. Aspas' run turns midfield possession into attack in an instant.
Aspas goes round the goalkeeper and sets up Isco to score. Here's another example from about 20 minutes later of Aspas latching onto a direct pass over the top and finishing past Willy Cabellero.
Creating chances with the high press
Spain control possession most of the time, forcing opposition teams into a deeper defensive shape which can be tough to break down.
Here, Dani Carvajal is a right-back operating as a right forward, pressing Argentina as they try to play out from the back.
Marco Asensio can move into the middle thanks to Carvajal's position, Costa prowls the area near the D.
Costa and Asensio bite at the Argentina midfielder and force him into a rushed pass. Iniesta joins in and wins the tackle.
Spain have four players in the same attacking area, who immediately understand they need to spread out to create a chance to score.
Asensio holds the ball for a split second and plays the pass at the perfect time. Iniesta and Carvajal go right, Costa through the middle, the defence parts and space is created.
Asensio could have played this ball to any of three players but disguises it to Costa, who goes in bravely to finish past the goalkeeper. Isco has turned up wide left by this point, just in case he gets involved.
Shortly after, Spain's high press at an Argentina goal kick makes Caballero hit it long.
Ramos and Gerard Pique are the deepest players but are yards ahead of the halfway line. Caballero's kick is not good.
The ball is won in midfield, Thiago carries and then shifts it forward to Asensio.
Argentina's defenders are drawn towards Costa - he is the focal point of the attack after all - and leave Isco entirely unmarked.
Isco scores.
The false nine and getting the most out of Isco
When Spain play without a striker they create chances in a manner incredibly difficult to defend against.
The striker would normally occupy the space between centre-backs. Here, Silva is the nine and drops into midfield.
This creates space for any one of the five players surrounding the box to move into, leaving the centre-backs marking thin air instead of a man.
All of these players like to make delayed runs into the box and are brilliant at pinging quick one-twos together, working unpredictable whirlwind passing moves until someone breaks away into the box.
Isco is fantastic when allowed to wander from his starting position and the false-nine role really gets a lot out of him. David Silva started as the central striker in a 3-0 win against Italy in September, with Isco a roaming right forward on the team sheet. Here is Isco running inside with the ball from the left wing:
And a few minutes later, here he is dropping between the centre-backs.
And then a few minutes after that, here he is cutting inside from the right wing. Spain's fluid tactical system brings the most out of players like Isco - in a more rigid setup where players must stay in set positions, he isn't as effective. When trusted to go where he is needed, magic is created.
By operating in positions near each other, the trio are able to link quick passes together and keep the ball, allowing the wing-backs to fly up the pitch, which then means the entire team can get forward. Spain do something similar.
As the opposition team drops back and the defenders form walls, Isco's darting runs into spaces between players and the lines of defence disrupts a defensive shape. It allows Spain to move the ball around quickly without being predictable. How do you defend against someone who isn't there?
Spain's chances of World Cup success are high
Spain have weaknesses - a lack of height to defend set-pieces, other than the centre-backs, and a high defensive line vulnerable to direct passes over the top are two of them - but there is an abundance of top talent and leaders throughout the side.
Busquets, Ramos, Pique, David De Gea, Silva and Iniesta are all captain material while the likes of Thiago, Koke, Saul, Jordi Alba and Isco never shy away from the ball. This can make all the difference in tense matches and with Spain usually in control of possession, they can dictate the tempo and outcome of games.
This doesn't necessarily mean they will walk the World Cup, let alone escape their group. Iran are good, Morocco look like they are capable of frustrating, if not beating most sides and Portugal's rigid defence and Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired attack can be kryptonite to Spain's patient style of play.
That said, if Spain find their rhythm, none of these teams should be able to stop them scoring - regardless of whether they have a striker or not.