Top 5 contenders to win the FIFA World Cup

#4 Spain

Spain's last major triumph was winning the Euro Cup in 2012

Spain's national team have cemented themselves among the main protagonists of international football in recent memory. The revolution in Spanish football started with the Euro Cup triumph in 2008 under the tutelage of Luis Aragonés, before Vicente Del Bosque took matters into his own hands, by winning the World Cup in 2010, followed by another Euro Cup in 2012.

However, it was obvious that 2013 signaled the decline of Spain on the international scene, as they suffered a cracking 3-0 defeat at the hand of the Brazilians in the Confederations Cup final, in Rio de Janeiro.

Spain's hard times were not yet gone in 2014, as they were eliminated from the group stage after a large defeat against The Netherlands, followed by another against the Chileans. In Euro 2016, the situation looked a bit better, but the round of 16 was as far as they would go, as Antonio Conte's masterclass meant that Italy would eliminate Spain.

But ever since Julen Lopetegui took command, it seams that La Furia Roja is slowly getting back in business. As a matter of fact, Spain topped their group in the World Cup qualifiers with 28 points out of 30, including a 3-0 victory against Italy, which meant that the four-time world champions would eventually finish second and go to the playoffs, were they were eliminated by Sweden.

With arguably the best goalkeeper in the world in David De Gea, a back-line of Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Piqué and Jordi Alba, alongside probaly the best midfield pool in the world featuring players like Sergio Busquets, Andrès Iniesta, Thiago Alcantara, Isco and David Silva, Spain will once again be among the top favorites to claim silverware, come Russia 2018.