Iraia and Spain ready for action

Madrid-based Andy Hall speaks to the captain of the Spain side which won this summer's UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship ahead of Wednesday's start of the 2nd FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship in Thailand.

Spain captain Iraia claims that she and her team-mates have been floating "somewhere above cloud nine" since being crowned European champions in Finland. That newly-instilled confidence together with Spain's inherent fighting spirit will be just the tonic they need as they prepare to face the United States, Korean Republic and Russia in Thailand.

Buzz of excitement
It was Iraia's 52nd-minute strike that handed Spain a 2-1 win in August's European showpiece against the mighty Germany and a place among the world's finest 12 teams in south-east Asia. "For us, just to have qualified for the world championship is a huge success and we will be going out there with a great deal of excitement and hope," she told uefa.com.

Confidence renewed
The Athletic Club de Bilbao forward revealed that there is real optimism within the group - a feeling that they will want to capitalise on when their campaign kicks off against Russia on Thursday. "To go into the tournament as reigning European champions gives us extra confidence," she said.

'Nothing to lose'
"There's no pressure on us because we're delighted just to be able to play at such a big event. In that sense, we have absolutely nothing to lose. Our objective is to play our game without any feeling of pressure and enjoy the experience as best as we can."

Opening matches
Spain's first opponents are Russia. "We have met Russia before and know that they are a difficult side but we are aware that if we are to qualify from the group phase then we must win our first two games," Iraia said.

'Defending champions'
After Russia, Spain take on the Koreans before finishing the group stage against the US. "They are the defending champions and the big favourites in the competition and so we would like to meet them having already made sure of our qualification, so winning our first two games is vital," Iraia continued.

Good attitude
To make sure that they get off on the right footing, the skipper will be calling for a large dose of the winning mentality that characterises the Spanish team. "Our strong point is that we are a very united team," she continued. "We have a great fighting spirit and a good attitude in that we never give up a ball as being lost. We know that the majority of the other teams in the championship are physically superior to us and so we have to go out fighting with all our might and at no moment give up on a match."

Unforgettable day
Iraia concluded that her players were ready to confront the world's élite in Thailand to open a new chapter in the history of women's football in Spain, saying: "We never imagined that we would make the final of the European Championship. It was a day that we will never forget for the rest of our lives and was important in that it shows that it is possible for Spain's women to be champions of Europe."